2024-08-03 19:32:45
Usually storms occur in autumn and winter, they are rare in summer and mostly occur under storm clouds. A thunderstorm starts quickly and is short-lived, lasting only a few minutes, rather than several hours from a location like a cyclone.
Evaluating the data since 1966, no other cases can be found in the history of Latvian meteorological observations, when storm-force wind gusts caused by an active cyclone, rather than thunderstorm clouds, were observed in such a wide area during the summer months.
Therefore, the storm caused by the cyclone “Kirsti” on July 28-29 was the strongest in Latvia in the summer season, LVĜMC meteorologists concluded.
On July 28 and 29, wind gusts of storm strength were observed in Mērsrag, Daugavgrīva, Riga, Bauska, Jelgava, Dobele, Ventspils and on the coast of Liepāja. The strongest gusts of north, northwest wind were recorded in the center of Riga – 27.4 meters per second.
On the other hand, storm force gusts were observed for the longest time in Daugavgrīva – a total of 13 hours in a row from July 28 at 11 pm to July 29 at 12 am. During this period, wind gusts reached storm force for at least two hours in the other stations as well.
There are no meteorological observation stations for wind monitoring in the region between Riga, Dobel and Mērsragu. Considering the trajectory of the cyclone and the direction of the most intense precipitation, it was in this area that the strongest winds were possible.
Last Sunday and Monday saw the highest amount of precipitation so far, both on average in the territory of Latvia and in individual observation stations.
On July 28 and 29, the average amount of precipitation in Latvia was 65.3 millimeters or 86% of the monthly climatic norm, surpassing by 20.1 millimeters the previous largest two-day precipitation amount, which was 45.2 millimeters on July 24 and 25, 1993. .in July.
The average amount of precipitation in Latvia on July 29 was 35.3 millimeters, and it became the rainiest day in the history of the country’s meteorological observations. The previous record was 30.8 millimeters on September 18, 2017.
At the Kalnciems observation station, the amount of precipitation in these two days reached 199.6 millimeters, which is the highest amount of two-day precipitation in the history of observations. Extreme rains, whose total two-day rainfall exceeded the station’s July norm, were also observed in other places in central Latvia – Riga, Jelgava and Dobele – where these were the two wettest days in the history of observations.
In addition, in Kalnciem, 93% of the precipitation brought by the cyclone fell within 12 hours, starting at 19:00 on Sunday evening. This observation station also recorded the largest amount of precipitation in one hour – 26.9 millimeters in the late evening of July 28.
As reported, after the storm and heavy rains, the battle with wind and rain damage continues in several municipalities.
2024-08-03 19:32:45