Cyclonic Storm in the Mediterranean

The shape of this storm resembles something you would more often see spinning over the Pacific or Atlantic oceans. Some of these storms over the Mediterranean have had characteristics similar to hurricanes, earning them the name “Medicanes,” a mash-up of the words “Mediterranean” and “hurricane.”.

Before and After Photos: SE Beach Dunes Lost to Hurricane Matthew

New low-altitude aerial photos of Southeastern beaches taken before and after Hurricane Matthew passed offshore show a new storm-cut inlet, and roads, dunes and structures lost. Hurricane Matthew’s storm surge and waves overwashed about 15 percent of the sand dunes on Florida’s Atlantic coast, 30 percent along Georgia’s coastline, and 42 percent of dunes on South Carolina’s sandy beaches.

Why Are Storm Surges So Deadly?

Hurricanes can be deadly, but it’s typically not the wind from these powerful storms that causes the highest number of fatalities. Rather, storm surges caused by hurricanes are “often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane,” according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).