Can they be predicted?

Forecasting these events is still in its infancy and falls into four areas:

Identifying atmospheric conditions favourable for development.

Real-time detection of these conditions High resolution tide gauges

Numerical modelling.

The Spanish meteorological service has a forecast based on identifying suitable atmospheric conditions and there is an experimental model called the Balearic Rissaga Forecasting System (BRIFS, at www.socib.eu). It will be a while before a good forecasting and detection system comes into effect and until it does there will always be a small risk of getting caught in one of these events. Over the next few years we'll hear more about them as detection and forecasting techniques improve.