A powerful waterspout, fueled by record temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea, sank a superyacht off the coast of Sicily, killing several people.
What's happening?
The waterspout lasted only a few minutes, but its strong winds capsized the Bayesian, British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch's yacht, on Aug. 19. Seven people lost their lives during the pre-dawn storm near Palermo, according to the Guardian.
Meteorologist Paolo Sottocorona described the waterspout's intensity as "the extreme of the extreme," per another Guardian report.
"This is because the situation in the Mediterranean has reached temperatures that were never reached before, and this brings instability. Unfortunately, these events, which were once anomalous — in the sense they almost never happened — are now beginning to occur more often. This is a sign of climate change," Sottocorona added.
According to the International Centre for Waterspout Research, the waterspout was one of 18 confirmed off the coasts of Italy on Aug. 19.
Why are waterspouts important?
A waterspout is similar to a tornado over water, according to the National Weather Service.
There are fair weather, usually more benign, waterspouts, and there are tornadic waterspouts. A tornadic waterspout is a tornado that forms over water, or a tornado that moves from land to water. This type of waterspout can be destructive and reach wind speeds of more than 100 mph.
The unusually warm Mediterranean water — which, per the Guardian, reached 3 degrees Celsius (more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit) above average near where the storm off Sicily's coast formed — contributed to the waterspout's ferocity.
Warm ocean water has also played a part in extreme weather events impacting Latin America.
"We can't point to climate change as the culprit for the storm that sunk the superyacht in Sicily, but it's clear that warmer seas are creating a more hospitable environment for waterspouts," Dr. Peter Inness, a meteorologist with the University of Reading, said in an interview for the University's website.
"Waterspouts form beneath thunderstorm clouds, so they need the same ingredients as a thunderstorm," Inness added. "Heat and humidity in the lower atmosphere are the two main requirements, and as oceans warm, there will be plenty of both to give rise to more waterspouts."
What's being done about the rising risk of waterspouts?
A company in the Philippines is making a new type of construction material designed to withstand natural disasters such as tornadoes, but waterspouts strike over water, making boaters vulnerable.
The National Weather Service says the best way to avoid a waterspout is to move at a 90-degree angle to its apparent movement. The service also advises all boaters to have a weather radio on board to stay alert to changing conditions.
Cooling our planet's oceans could help reduce the risks of some extreme weather events. Using your voice to fight for our planet's future can help — this includes voting for candidates who want to cool our planet and discussing climate issues with friends and family.
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