Anyone currently on holiday in the Mediterranean should keep a close eye on the forecast. In Crete, some areas are set to receive over 300 mm of rain by the weekend, with even significantly higher amounts locally.

With rainfall of this magnitude, roads can become flooded within a short space of time. Flash floods and landslides are also possible – so caution is advised, particularly when out and about in gorges or mountainous areas.

Wind is also a factor: in the Aegean Sea, gusts of over 50 miles per hour are possible, and in some areas even exceeding 75 mph. This may lead to restrictions along the coasts and on ferry services.

From Thursday, Spain’s east coast will also be hit once again by severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Flooding is also possible there.

The unusually warm Mediterranean Sea is playing into the hands of the storms. The water is still around 25°C across much of the region – in the western Mediterranean, this is 3 to 5 degrees warmer than usual for this time of year.

As a result, there is a particularly large amount of moisture available to fuel heavy rainfall.