Spanish climatologist and television presenter Jacob Petrus has called for greater action from public authorities following the recent flooding in Ibiza, warning that the Mediterranean’s rising temperatures are increasing the risks associated with extreme weather.

Speaking at the VIII Foro Marino de Ibiza y Formentera on Wednesday, 21 October, Petrus questioned what had been done to address torrential rainfall on the island and urged the public to demand stronger preventive measures.

“What has been done in Ibiza to combat torrential rain? We have to demand answers,” he said, according to the event coverage.

He delivered an even sharper criticism of the gap between scientific warnings and political action: “It is cynical to know what is happening and do nothing.”

Petrus, the geographer and climatologist who presents RTVE’s Aquí la Tierra, argued that public policy has a greater capacity to address climate risks than individual actions alone. His comments came after the latest flooding exposed vulnerabilities in parts of Ibiza’s infrastructure.

Warmer Mediterranean waters and extreme rainfall

During his keynote at the forum, Petrus highlighted the role that rising sea temperatures can play in extreme weather. Warmer water increases evaporation and can supply additional moisture and energy to weather systems, potentially contributing to intense rainfall when atmospheric conditions are favourable.

He referred to the exceptionally heavy rainfall recorded in Corsica shortly before his presentation, where figures shown during the conference indicated that 417 litres of rain per square metre fell in three hours.

Petrus also pointed to unusually warm sea temperatures around the Balearic Islands. He said the waters were between three and four degrees above normal on the day before his talk.

These figures illustrate the conditions being discussed at the forum, but they should not be interpreted as proof that warm water alone causes every episode of torrential rain. Extreme weather develops through several interacting atmospheric and oceanic processes.

A potentially unusual storm off Catalonia

The conference also examined the storm that affected the Catalan coast on 3 and 4 October 2026. A preliminary analysis published by Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) on 21 October investigated whether exceptionally warm Mediterranean waters helped a large storm system develop features associated with an attempted tropical cyclogenesis process.

The research found that simulations using the observed sea temperatures produced an organised storm system and a low-level rotating circulation. Comparable simulations using cooler, climatological sea temperatures did not produce the same system.

However, the researchers stressed that their findings do not prove that a tropical cyclone actually formed. They described the results as consistent with the hypothesis of an attempted tropical cyclogenesis event and said further modelling and analysis are needed to assess the uncertainty.

The distinction matters because tropical cyclogenesis, in which a tropical cyclone begins to form, is not the same as the Mediterranean storms known as medicanes, which typically develop through a different atmospheric process.

The research offers evidence that unusually warm sea temperatures may have played a significant role in this particular storm. It does not establish that a tropical cyclone formed or that every recent episode of extreme rainfall can be attributed to the same mechanism.

Scientists warn of wider consequences

Samira Khodayar, director of the Meteorology and Climatology Area at the Mediterranean Centre for Environmental Studies (CEAM), also addressed the consequences of global warming during the forum.

She explained that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, increasing the potential intensity of heavy rainfall when suitable weather conditions develop. Climate change can also contribute to more severe droughts, creating risks for water supplies, agriculture, public health and everyday life.

The wider discussion focused on the need to prepare for climate risks rather than relying exclusively on emergency responses after damage has occurred.

Political scientist Cristina Monge similarly argued that public authorities need to anticipate risks, while environmental communicator José Luis Gallego criticised the failure to act on scientific warnings. Meteorologist and science communicator Isabel Moreno warned that some effects of global warming will persist for a long time, even if polluting emissions are reduced.

The common message was that prevention, adaptation and ecosystem protection can reduce the consequences of climate change, even though they cannot eliminate every extreme weather event.

Ibiza’s flooding raises questions about preparedness

The recent flooding in Ibiza has renewed questions about the island’s capacity to manage intense rainfall and the investment needed to strengthen vulnerable infrastructure.

Emergency measures can help authorities respond to immediate threats, but they cannot necessarily resolve long-standing drainage and infrastructure weaknesses. The challenge is to combine emergency preparedness with sustained investment, risk planning and adaptation to changing weather conditions.

Petrus’s intervention placed responsibility for action firmly on public institutions, arguing that scientific knowledge must be translated into practical decisions.

The forum’s message was not that every flood can be prevented, but that better preparation and stronger climate policies can reduce risks and limit the damage caused by extreme weather.

The VIII Foro Marino de Ibiza y Formentera brought together scientists, environmental specialists and other speakers to discuss the Mediterranean’s environmental challenges. Its central appeal was for institutions to turn scientific evidence into concrete action before the next emergency.