AGRAVATING FACTORS IN THE BLIZZARD SITUATIONS IN THE SOUTH-EAST OF ROMANIA

Abstract

The blizzards from the end of January 2014 stand out by the short period of time in which they occurred and by the duration of the phenomenon. As a consequence, the effects have accumulated, resulting special socio-economic consequences. In January 2014, in five days time, in the South-East of Romania there have been two blizzards. The maximum thickness of the snow layer has reached 99 cm, and the gusts of wind have exceeded speeds of 90 km/h. Therefore, in the South-East of Romania, the snowdrifts measured at the weather stations from Câmpia Bărăganului have reached heights of 280 cm. The first blizzard was unusual through its unusually long duration in which it occurred, 72 hours between 24 and 27th of January, and the second one, although short, it was very intense and it only occurred 48 hours after the end of the first episode. The cyclogenesis initiated in the Genova Bay was classic, but the main cause of both situations’ aggravation was represented by the penetration and regeneration of the two cyclones of Mediterranean origin over warmer waters than usual in the Black Sea. This positive deviation of the water’s temperature was provoqued by an autumn ending and a gentle winter beginning, due to the persistance of a zonal circulation, but also through thermic anomalies of the air temperature at two meters height. The agglomeration of more aggravating factors has eliminated the broadcasting, for the first time to the National Meteorological Administration of two red code nowcasting warnings. A short analysis of the numerical weather models run by the National Meteorological Administration proves with a relatively high precision over the parameters prognosed in the two severe weather situations.

Keywords

• blizzard
• aggravating factors
• effects
• synoptic analysis
• forecast