In the heat and extreme summer storms in Menorca, Aemet has just added one more risk: “Meteotsunamis”

A trough travels the peninsula and, like The experts advancedtheir impacts begin to be noticed today. These impacts have led to the State Meteorology Agency (Aemet) to issue various notices, Among them one focused on the risk of Rissagasthe phenomenon also known as “Meteotsunami”.

Notice by Rissagas. In addition to the notices for rains and storms (which bind to notices still in force for temperatures of more than 36º in areas of Albacete and Murcia), Aemet has issued various coastal notices that will remain active during the next few days in the Mediterranean, specifically in Catalonia and Balearic Islands.

Among these notices is an active one on the coast of the island of Menorca, since there are expected sea level oscillations that could reach 0.7 meters. This oscillation of the island region responds in the Balearic Islands At the end Rissagabut it is also usually called “Meteotsunami” for presenting some parallelism with the seismic phenomenon.

Rissagas or meteotsunamis. As we pointed out before, the Rissagas They are abrupt oscillations of sea level. As explained some time ago Aemet’s then territorial delegate in Illes Balears, Mª José Guerrero, these phenomena occur only in coves and ports “with a certain geometry.”

As with the tsunamis, these begin with the sea by backward, which can leave the small boats of the fishing and sports ports stranded. In a matter of minutes, the waters return to the port, and do so with a flood that can drag the vessels and overflow the docks.

On average, these oscillations are usually about 50 centimeters. However, cases have been found in which they reached several meters.

“Tsunamis“Meteorological. As its name suggests, the “Meteotsunami” differs from a tsunami in his Meteorological origin and not seismic. According to Aemetthese phenomena are produced by “small although sudden changes in atmospheric pressure (1-3 hectopascal) derived from the passage of fronts, gravitational waves, turbonada lines and in general phenomena associated with convection.”

First red notice of Aemet. The forecasts speak of significant impacts beyond the risks on the coast. Aemet’s forecasts They alert today “showers and storms with a probability of being strong, even locally very strong”, which will affect large areas of Catalonia, Pyrenees, northern zone of the Valencian Community and east of the Iberian system. Tomorrow these showers and storms are expected to affect both the Mediterranean coast of the peninsula and the Balearic Islands themselves.

Thus, the agency has issued notices of different categories distributed throughout the center and northern Mediterranean slope and the Balearic Islands. Today’s notices include a red notice (extreme risk) due to rains in the central depression of Barcelona. In that area, up to 60 mm of rainfall could be accumulated in one hour and up to 120 mm in a matter of three or four hours.

Waiting for a change. In addition to the red notice due to extreme risk, the agency maintains various orange notices (for important risk) during today’s and tomorrow, both for rains and storms. The situation is expected Start to appease on Fridayalthough some episodes torments are expected to continue during that day.

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Image | Menorchin / Aemet