A snail was forming on the radar. The rainfall was extreme, says the meteorologist
Is it exceptional that, for example, 100 millimeters in just 24 hours?
Of course, over 100 millimeters in 24 hours is already an extreme total. Therefore, a red alert was issued. It’s an extraordinary amount of precipitation. The average annual rainfall in the Czech Republic is 673 millimeters.
It is an average number, ranging from the driest areas, where the diameter is 40 millimeters, to the mountains, where it is over 1,500 millimeters.
For how long another such amount, e.g.
I can’t say that. These collisions were caused by a rippling cold front. She was the line of convergence, ie convergence, was directly above southern, central Bohemia and Prague. Intense thunderstorms formed above her during the evening, which then turned into rain. The reason was that the ground pressure level was formed.
If anyone was watching the radar, he could see that such a snail had formed. The precipitation kept spinning around due to the pressure drop. That’s why the rainfall was so intense.
What is the amount of precipitation caused by? Does climate change play a role?
So, of course, more frequent extreme weather is associated with climate change. The higher the air temperature, the greater the amount of water vapor and thus the greater the amount of energy. Then we are experiencing greater extremes of weather.
On one side of the storm, then again dry periods. Keep up with the climate change. It has been pointed out for years that extremes will be the main problem.
Were there extreme rains elsewhere than in the vicinity of Prague?
It was really the most in Prague and its surroundings. Extreme thunderstorms and precipitation were also recorded in southern Bohemia in the evening. But there it was mainly due to shorter totals. It rained about 40 millimeters in just half an hour and caused big problems.
In the vicinity of Prague, it was loaded both by evening storms and then by heavy rain in the second half of the night, when, for example, 50 millimeters in just five to six hours.
Do you expect it to rain in the days to come?
Now the situation should calm down for a while. Even during the day, we expect rain, showers and a rare storm in some places. Gradually, however, precipitation will weaken. Now it often rains mainly in the Ústí nad Labem and Central Bohemia regions, even though the rainfall is no longer like evening at night.
Tomorrow we expect only isolated showers and thunderstorms. The next round of storms will probably come on Monday evening and then on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when they could be strong again with torrential rains.
Did any extreme events occur during the evening or night?
During the evening storms in southern Bohemia were accompanied by stronger gusts of wind. So it caused damage – breaking trees.
Have the storms changed in any way compared to previous years?
Rather in the context of how yesterday the anniversary of the tornado was, there are a lot of questions about whether there are more. It’s more about the fact that now, thanks to new technologies – mobile phones, everything is well documented.
You will find out everything right away – what is happening on the other side of the world or at the end of the republic. Everything is photographed, captured. It’s more about being better informed than worse. I wouldn’t dare say that.