ELGA - Meteorological Applications Center - Greece
Tornadoes and waterspouts occur in various parts of Greece and may reach the media as newsworthy events, depending of their intensity and the level of damage caused. However, there are only very limited literature references about waterspout occurrences, such as: in the coastal area of cape Sounion south of Athens, in the sea of Mt. Athos and the lakes Prespas in northern Greece. Also there are some references for large land devils developed up to a height of 500 m, in the area of central Macedonia, northern Greece.
This paper is based on a research started since last three years for identifying and recording tornado and waterspout events in Greece and evaluating their intensity and characteristics. The attempt for a systematic recording and evaluating whirlwind phenomena in Greece, has been initiated within the context of contribution as a member of the TORRO established European network of representatives. The data base development for including the whirlwind incidents is based on information received by a variety of sources such as press, news agencies and other media, local eyewitness and owners experienced property damages. The final data record is always confirmed and evaluated by contacts to government services, such as, weather offices, agricultural damage adjusters, prefectures and other local authorities.
A summary of the tornado activity reported from various parts of Greece from the beginning of 2000 up today is given in this work. Maximum intensity of the tornado cases recorded was rated as intense, T5 of the TORRO tornado intensity scale. Maximum path length as defined by the damage track was about 6 km and maximum path width defined was about 100 m. Considering directions of movement, most tornadoes arrived from directions between south and west. Path damage information and characteristics are presented, while in one case a site investigation was undertaken. Synoptic background information has also examined for identifying synoptic patterns associated to tornado and waterspout activity observed. Weather radar images of thunderstorm cell associated with tornado action have also analyzed.
The complex geographic morphology of Greece including the frequent alternation and irregularities in land and sea distribution suggests an environment favor for tornadic activity to develop. During the examined period most tornado and waterspout events have reported from the western portions of Greece, including Ionian Islands and western Peloponnese and to a lesser extent from northern Greece. Small tornado outbreaks were noted during months September and November. According to limited climatological observations, most tornado activity during the warm period of the year, namely the six-month period from April to September, seems to affect mainly the northern parts of the country. Oppositely, during the cold period, the months from October to March, the frequency of tornado appears to be increased towards the west and the southern portions of Greece.