A climate study of Tropical Storm Daniel

Last September, an unprecedented weather event shook Libya and its neighbors. The LILA Gazette explores why this storm-cyclone was so consequential.

By Eva Boyd – 11th grade.

Deep in the night on September 10th, 2023, Libya felt the effects of tropical storm and hurricane Daniel much more aggressively than other storms. With winds reaching 80 km/h and extra precipitation leading to a massive flood, tropical storm Daniel led to exaggerated damage that is seen more and more around the world. Rainfall records were broken. Its affected area was noteworthy as well, with Greece, Türkiye and Bulgaria also being impacted.

In Libya, due to lack of investment in infrastructure and preparation, 2,500 people died. Heavy rainfall caused a dam to break, leading to a huge flood. Ten thousand people were initially thought missing, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Libyan town of Derna was the main city affected by this event; nearly a quarter of the city was washed away. In Greece, this tropical storm was almost a relief to the land burned by a period of unusual heat and spontaneous wildfires.

According to the Red Cross, the amount of rainfall experienced by Libya and its neighbors was “50 times more likely to occur and 50% more intense because of human-caused climate change.” Because of the warming of the planet, water is more likely to be in liquid form than solid, because ice melts. With 2023 having the highest average temperature ever recorded, melting ice is even more likely. These higher temperatures will only increase. Furthermore, a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. There is evidence that the strongest “medicanes” (from the words Mediterranean and Hurricane), or tropical storm-like cyclones from the Mediterranean, will become even stronger.

The Mediterranean is an oceanic region known for being hot. Since moisture in clouds for storms mostly (about 80%) originates from the ocean, these hot, humid climates exacerbate the intensity of these storms. Temperature plays an important factor as well: with sea temperatures above 26°C, storms may worsen. On the day of the storm, sea surface temperatures near the coast of Libya were reported above 27,°C, indicating that the temperature of that day played a role in the development of the storm.

Climate change and the increase of average global temperature has deeply affected weather conditions throughout the world. Increasing temperatures lead to worse storm conditions, higher likelihood of flooding, and more need for humanitarian aid. We are already seeing worse and worse effects for humans and other living creatures alike.

How to contribute:

UNICEF

Morocco: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/earthquake-morocco

Libya: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-rushing-urgent-aid-flood-victims-libya

CARE

Morocco: https://www.care.org/our-work/where-we-work/morocco/

Libya:https://www.care.org/news-and-stories/news/flooding-in-libya-whats-happening-now-how-to-help

GlobalGiving

Libya: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/libya-flood-relief-fund/

Morocco:https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/morocco-earthquake-relief-high-atlas-communities/

World Central Kitchen

Morocco: https://wck.org/relief/morocco-earthquake-2023