La Repubblica, 9th of April 2024

The article from La Repubblica features an important study published on April 5th, in the international journal "Nature", where researchers funded by the PRIN 2022 PNRR project titled “ARCHIMEDE—Multidisciplinary approach to better define vulnerability and hazard of Medicanes along the Ionian coasts of Sicily” have shed new light on the behaviour of Medicanes, or Mediterranean cyclones.

This collaborative effort, culminated in a scientific report titled 'Fingerprinting Mediterranean hurricanes using pre-event thermal drops in seawater temperature', which involved scholars from various institutions including the Universities of Genova (with Giovanni Besio), Bari, Catania, and Venezia Ca’ Foscari, as well as researchers from Cnr and the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area in Siracusa.

The research delved into the intricate dynamics of Medicanes, a phenomenon that has been increasingly impacting the Mediterranean region in recent years, bringing about severe weather conditions and posing significant challenges for coastal communities. By analysing the sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean in the days leading up to the genesis of 52 different Medicanes from 1969 to 2023, the study uncovered a crucial pattern.