Dangerous thunderstorms can be caused by climate change. The particularly insidious thing about it: they cannot be predicted.
Floods, fallen giant trees, devastated fields – devastating traces of a “supercell” fueled by climate change as it hits the land like an overwhelming giant fist. From a meteorological point of view, this is the most dangerous thunderstorm in terms of space and time. A supercell can reach a diameter of 20 to 50 kilometers and even 200 kilometers in higher layers.
Tornado kills in Czech Republic
Their lifespan is limited to a few hours, but in extreme cases they can rage for up to half a day. And: Up to 20 percent of all supercells are the basis of tornadoes and thunderstorms! It was not until June 2021 that the worst tornado in a decade caused apocalyptic consequences in the Czech Republic, with 2,000 houses destroyed, 250 injured and six dead.
These concentrated thunderstorms are caused by so-called meso-cyclones. It is a low pressure area between two and 2000 kilometers in size. High humidity is a precondition for the formation of these “sample cells”. A supercell can also be recognized by its shape: it resembles an anvil. Because when the warm, moist air that moves upwards can no longer rise, it spreads horizontally – thus in the shape of an anvil.
Hailstones the size of a tennis ball
In addition, supercells often bring large hailstorms with them. That means: The white sky projectiles thundering towards Earth reach the menacing size of a tennis ball with a diameter of up to six centimeters. In addition, a supercell in such “doomsday storms” can bring extreme wind gusts with a horror speed of more than 200 km/h.
Particularly insidious: Meteorologists cannot predict exactly when and where such thunderstorms will occur. After all, the occurrence of thunderstorms is often a matter of small-scale weather phenomena. Only the regions where severe thunderstorms break out are relatively well predicted by weather models.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
