Flooding in Greece

Torrential rains have triggered a potentially historic flooding event in Greece, with rain totals of more than 30 inches expected in some places through today from a storm system locally known as Daniel. The storm system has already released 2 feet of rain in parts of central Greece over 24 hours and has caused floods in neighboring Turkey and Bulgaria. At least seven people have been killed across the three countries.

Weather analysts say the system could develop into a Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, also known as a “medicane," as warmer temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea fuel extreme weather patterns. The system is also part of a weather pattern known as an "Omega Block," named for resembling the Greek letter Omega, which is allowing a heat dome to build over central Europe while bringing heavy rain to the Mediterranean.

The flooding rain arrives days after the largest wildfire recorded in Europe blazed across northeastern Greece for two weeks, killing more than 20 people and scorching over 200,000 acres of land—an area greater than the size of New York City.

See photos from the flooding here.