Hurricane warning issued for Ionian Sea on Friday

The meteorological service of the Athens National Observatory has warned of the possibility that a Mediterranean hurricane could develop in southern parts of the Ionian Sea Friday.

The service said that low barometric pressure is very likely to create tropical weather characteristics – powerful winds at up to 12 Beaufort, torrential rainfall and the development of a storm eye.

Hurricanes of this type are called Medicanes and reportedly appear in the Mediterranean once or twice a year.

Meanwhile, high winds on Wednesday – exceeding 100 kilometers per hour in certain parts of the country – led to a halt in ferry services linking the mainland to the islands.

Moreover, the gales forced the closure of schools on the Aegean islands of Myconos, Tinos and Andros.

The winds also disrupted efforts to transfer refugees and migrants from overcrowded camps on Lesvos to the mainland.