Geophysicists predicted an increase in the frequency of tornadoes, as in Mytishchi

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The emergence of the “dusty devil” linked to global warming

The tornado in Mytishchi became a rather unusual phenomenon for our latitudes: the people with fear and curiosity shared the video of this “tornado” on social networks. Experts say that due to warming, tornadoes in Moscow and the region may become commonplace.

A unique natural phenomenon was observed today by Muscovites and residents of the nearest Moscow region, on which the long-awaited thunderstorm finally fell. Following the gusts of wind and streams of water, people saw clouds of bullets twisting into a funnel. Forecasters dubbed the mesmerizing and at the same time frightening sight “the dusty devil.”

The tornado passed over Mytishchi near Moscow this afternoon, when the metropolitan region was covered by a thunderstorm front. The same unusual phenomenon was observed by the residents of St. Petersburg. There a column of dust rose into the air near the ring road.

Climatologists said that this phenomenon is extremely unusual for our latitudes and is associated with climate change. The main reason why the capital may well become the second “tornado valley” is a strong warming up of the atmosphere due to general climate change.

“The atmosphere is warming up due to global warming, which in our country occurs two and a half times faster than in the rest of the world,” explained a leading researcher at the Main Geophysical Observatory. Voeikova Andrey Kiselev, – We live in a geographical zone where the share of land is greater than that of the ocean. There is only one such belt on Earth. The ocean is a generator and accumulator of heat. In the warm season, it takes away heat, and in the cold season, it gives it away. These exchanges mitigate the situation. On land, the conditions are completely different, the heat capacity is higher.

Scientists have explained the mechanism of the appearance of the “dusty devil”. The asphalt gets very hot due to the intense heat and becomes something like a support for the funnel. Air currents lift and swirl the dust vortices upward, forming a funnel.

At the same time, experts predict that in the coming years this is still a rare phenomenon will visit us more often. Again, the reason is warming.

– In the world, warming is 0.18 degrees in 10 years. In our country – 0.51 degrees over the same period, – said Andrey Kiselev, – Warming up always entails an increase in energy, which must find a way out. Most often, she finds it in the so-called dangerous hydrometeorological phenomena. These are droughts, increased rainfall, the very heat waves that we are witnessing now.

At the same time, scientists are not inclined to make dramatic predictions. According to experts, dust storms are well studied and usually do not cause serious damage to cities.

“Such phenomena often occur in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,” says Alexei Kokorin, director of the climate program of the World Wildlife Fund. “They do not entail any destruction. With such a tornado, the air flow goes up, snatching dust behind it. But with the formation of such phenomena, there are no high atmospheric formations and cumulus clouds. Therefore, they do not develop into a full-fledged tornado.

Meanwhile, today’s “dusty devil” is not unique. A serious tornado was recorded in June 2012 in the city of Aleksin near Tula. The disaster then de-energized 38 settlements, knocked down trees about five kindergartens and two schools, and also tore off the roof from 86 high-rise buildings.

There was a video of a tornado in Mytishchi


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