Cyclone Zorbas
Zorbas at peak intensity over the Ionian Sea | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 27 September 2018 |
| Dissipated | 2 October 2018 |
| Category 1-equivalent tropical cyclone | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS) | |
| Highest winds | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Highest gusts | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 987 hPa (mbar); 29.15 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 6 dead, 2 missing |
| Damage | > $1 million (2018 USD) |
Cyclone Zorbas, or Medicane Zorbas, was the first officially documented Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, or medicane, since Cyclone Numa in 2017. Zorbas originated as an extratropical cyclone in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Warm sea surface temperatures allowed the system to quickly deepen and transition into a tropical cyclone. Zorbas intensified as it headed northward towards Greece, finally reaching its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 987 mbar (29.15 inHg) on September 29.
Heavy rain and flash flooding from Zorbas killed 5 people in Tunisia. One person was killed and two were declared missing in Greece. The storm was estimated to have caused millions of dollars (2018 USD) in damages.