Sometimes nature gives us unusually hot days. For example, these are exactly what the inhabitants of the Urals could observe this summer. The air temperature at this time reached a record high. Among the possible causes of the anomaly were named global climate change, global warming, melting ice and others. In this article, we tried to figure out why it was hot in the Urals for most of the summer? What was it connected with? And what event caused the prolonged Ural heat?
Heat Weather Summary
It has been extremely hot in the Urals since the first days of August. According to weather forecasters, during the first five days the air temperature rose to +33 … +35 ºС. And this is 7º above the norm and, of course, much more than the maximum set last year. According to preliminary data, such abnormal heat in the Urals was observed earlier. But it was around the middle of June last year.
Toward August, the air temperature jumped by as much as 6º (relative to the norm). The most exhausting drought peaked in the first days of August. At that time, the air temperature in Perm increased to +33.5ºС, and in the cultural center of the Urals - Yekaterinburg, itreached +34, 8º… +40ºС.
In the Astrakhan, Saratov, Volgograd, Rostov regions and in the Kuban, the daily air temperature was at around 40-41º. Such hot weather, according to experts, was recorded in the summer of 2010. But how long will the heat in the Urals last? What is it caused by? And how severe will its consequences be? That is what we will try to find out as much as possible.
First information about the impending cataclysm
It is not necessary to say that the increase in air temperature in the Urals was a huge surprise. Information that the upcoming heat wave in the Urals in 2016 will break all records first began to arrive in early July of this year during a regular conference call of representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Based on these data, all employees of regional authorities and emergency services were notified. Therefore, it follows that the sharp increase in temperature did not come as a big surprise, except for the civilian population. It was the civilians who turned out to be completely unprepared for the unbearable summer heat.
What are the consequences of hot weather?
Due to the fact that the abnormal heat in the Urals lasted for quite a long time, it was it that caused numerous negative consequences. Thus, in some regions of Russia, drought has led to the loss of grain crops and the death of other cultivated plants. However, this applies only to those cities in which there was practically no precipitation. In other regions wherefrequent rains were observed, the crop was saved. Moreover, heavy rainfall has led to the premature opening of the “mushroom season”. This positive moment made summer residents and mushroom pickers the most happy.
In some areas, fires broke out due to the heat, and for a long time they maintained a 4-5 fire safety class. For example, it was in the South of the Urals, Pskov, Bryansk, Tula, Novgorod and Smolensk regions. A similar situation arose in the northwest of the Russian Federation. In particular, there was a high risk of fires in the Republic of Karelia, Arkhangelsk and Leningrad regions.
And, of course, the heat in the Urals (2016) had the most detrimental effect on local residents. Many of them literally lost consciousness on the street, work and transport. According to the inhabitants of the Urals, the asph alt, of course, did not melt, but it was unbearably hot.
Safe road closure
Due to the impending threat to fire safety, representatives of the patrol service of the Chelyabinsk region decided to block the road on the following federal highways: R-254 Irtysh, M-5 Ural and A-310.
Recall that long-distance trucks regularly travel along these roads. For a similar reason, the highway at the entrance to Yekaterinburg was also closed. All other drivers wishing to drive along the intended path had only to wait for the moment when the heat subsided in the Urals.
What caused the cataclysm?
The temperature changes were caused by an anticyclone. According to experts, it covered the Urals as if with a huge dome. As a result, the invisible dome became an insurmountable barrier for the saving Atlantic cyclones, which were forced to bypass the dome, moving along the north or south side.
In other words, the anticyclone blocked access to rain and coolness, dooming the inhabitants of the region to languishing heat. Many of them became ill due to heat stroke, others suffered from a pressure drop, some experienced drowsiness, apathy and a breakdown. Because of all this, most of them could not wait for the heat to subside in the Urals.
What do experts say about the weather?
Among the reasons that caused the drought, which is unusual for the Russian climate, one can single out other processes. In particular? a huge role in the unstable behavior of the anticyclone, which returns every five years, is played by changes in the world's oceans. In this case, we are talking about the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
According to experts, the processes taking place in these huge reservoirs resemble a kind of kitchen where warm and cold atmospheric fronts, anticyclones are being prepared.
Consequently, the changes that have taken place in the oceans may well affect not only the weather of Europe and the Far East, but also affect most of Russia. Due to blockage, cold air flows simply do not reach the ground. The heat, in turn, spreads evenly, causing negative consequences, such as an outbreak of anthrax in Yamal.
Here's what the heat onUrals, experts say.
Record numbers and shocking data
According to data received from the Chelyabinsk Center for Environmental Monitoring and Hydrometeorology, this year there was a record heat wave. In many regions of the Urals, it reached 30-36ºС, or even more. For example, the maximum temperature of 40-41º was recorded from August 1 to 5 in the territory of Katav-Ivanovsk, on 7-11 - a similar one was noted in Upper Ufaley, and on 8-11 - in Brodokalmak. Such temperature spikes were previously observed in 2000 and 2003.
Based on the information received, the experts managed to draw up a certain schedule of changes. According to it, the weather deteriorated in the Chelyabinsk region, from where the heat in the Urals spread to other regions of Russia.
When did the temperature drop?
After numerous studies, experts have concluded that dry weather will be short-lived. According to them, the increase in temperature will eventually stop and stabilize. As expected, the heat wave lasted until August 19-20 this year. After this period, the air temperature dropped by about 5-10º. At the same time, summer has become more comfortable and familiar to many residents of the country.
The question no longer worries why the heat in the Urals: "drizzled"
After the predicted drop in temperature, long-awaited rains poured down in the Urals. They began, according to experts, from the Central Federal District and went further, affecting the territory of the Voronezh andBelgorod regions. After the full circulation of cyclones, heavy rains swept over the Nizhny Novgorod and Pskov regions.
Then the inhabitants of Moscow felt a positive change in climatic conditions. Let's face it, before that they were worried about the question why it's hot in the Urals. But after the weather changed, they had completely different interests, for example, many were puzzled by buying umbrellas and raincoats. But the rainfall brought the greatest joy to the representatives of the farm, who are worried about the safety of crops.
Further, according to forecasters, the cold front began to move towards Kaluga, Tver and Ryazan. Later, the cold snap reached the Volga Federal District. And although the general decrease in temperature was observed for only a few days, further heat subsided and did not return. So, until the end of summer in the territory of the South of the Russian Federation, the air temperature dropped to 27-28º. And the weather itself periodically pleased with small and sometimes heavy rainfall. This is how the climate changed immediately after the causes of abnormal heat in the Urals were localized.
How useful were the weather forecasts?
According to experts, the anomalous change in temperature was successfully overcome thanks to timely warnings from weather forecasters. And let them say that their predictions often do not come true, this time they turned out to be 100% right. Since all representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were warned, they only had to be on alert for a long time. As a result of their efficiency, it was possible to localize most of the fires that arose due toheatwave.
What kind of autumn awaits the Russians?
According to forecasters' calculations, the inhabitants of Russia, including the territory of the Urals, were waiting for the usual warm, sometimes rainy autumn. The air temperature is kept within the existing norm.
In early autumn there was a slight warming (the period fell on the "Indian summer" and "velvet season" for vacationers). Then there was a temperature drop, a nebula appeared, but the humidity was also within the normal range. As you can see, this time the representatives of the Hydrometeorological Center of the Russian Federation turned out to be right.
Now you know why the heat in the Urals continued for a long summer period.
