Meteorologist Christian Zenkl explains what “ingredients” are needed for such a severe storm as the one on Whit Sunday. The temperature alone says nothing about the danger.
More heat means more chance of storms – meteorologist Christian Zenkl of the Wettercafé Innsbruck does not want to endorse this comparison. He calls other factors around storm depression “Maya”.
about the role of temperature: It doesn’t matter if it’s 28 or 32 degrees near the ground. It is about the state of the atmosphere at altitudes up to twelve kilometers. Namely which air masses meet and from which directions and how hard the wind is blowing.
for Pentecost Sunday: A small-scale cold front approached from the west, pushing heavier air masses toward the northern Alps. When crossing the mountains there were torrents with sometimes more than 100 km/h and the first damage. At the same time, the air pressure behind this front increased significantly and also led to air currents (west to north). As a bonus, there are the drop bursts, which appear as “downbursts” near a thunderstorm. Higher, however, relatively warm air came from the south. This wind shift with height also caused the air masses to rise, and when they rise thousands of feet, a lot of water vapor condenses to form powerful storm clouds called cumulus nimbus. Some of these clouds reached heights of more than twelve kilometers and caused widespread heavy downpours and localized hail.
about the predictability of hail: The hail potential can be estimated days in advance using the weather models. Where and when exactly is not known even twelve hours in advance. Radar images, which can be found on many weather sites, help with very short-term forecasts (minutes to several hours). Hailstones reflect radar beams better than raindrops, the “most toxic” cells are easily recognizable by color, even to laymen.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
