Severe storms as an example of a natural hazard in the urban area – case studies of the area of Warsaw, Poland

Piasecki, Krzysztof; Żmudzka, Elwira

doi:10.2478/mgrsd-2020-0065

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to determine the synoptic and thermodynamic conditions accompanying the development of two severe thunderstorms that caused significant damage in Warsaw. The storm events of 17 June and 4 September 2016 were analysed. Materials used in the research included meteorological, aerological and radar data, as well as the Fire Service interventions database. These data allowed the conditions for the formation of the storms and their spatial variations in terms of intensity to be determined. It was shown that damage in Warsaw was caused by phenomena associated with supercell storms that developed in a moderate CAPE environment and a strong shear. It was confirmed that the geometry of the city increased the wind speed and modified its direction locally. In addition, it was found that the data on the number of Fire Service interventions clearly reflected the spatial variations in storm intensity by corresponding radar signatures to the high intensity of meteorological phenomena.

References

Anderson, G & Klugmann, D 2014, ‘A European lightning density analysis using 5 years of ATD net data’, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 815–829.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Arnold, DL 2008, ‘Severe deep moist convective storms: Forecasting and mitigation’, Geography Compass, no 2/1, pp. 30–66.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Błażejczyk, K, Kuchcik, M, Błażejczyk, A, Milewski, P & Szmyd, J 2014a, ‘Assessment of urban thermal stress by UTCI – experimental and modelling studies: an example from Poland’, Die Erde, vol. 145, no. 1–2, pp. 16–33.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Błażejczyk, K, Kuchcik, M, Milewski, P, Dudek, W, Kręcisz, B, Błażejczyk, A, Szmyd, J, Degórska, B & Pałczyński, C 2014b, Miejska wyspa ciepła w Warszawie: uwarunkowania klimatyczne i urbanistyczne [Urban Heat Island in Warsaw: climate and urban characteristics], Wydawnictwo Akademickie SEDNO, Warsaw.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bornstein, RD & Johnson, DS 1977, ‘Urban-rural wind velocity differences’, Atmospheric Environment, vol. 11, no. 7, pp. 597–604.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bornstein, RD & Lin, Q 2000, ‘Urban heat islands and summertime convective thunderstorms in Atlanta: three case studies’, Atmospheric Environment, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 507–516.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Brooks, HE 2013, ‘Severe thunderstorms and climate change’, Atmospheric Research, vol. 123, pp. 129–138.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dotzek, N, Groenemeijer, P, Feuerstein, B & Holzerea, AM 2009, ‘Overview of ESSL's severe convective storms research using the European Severe Weather Database ESWD’, Atmospheric Research, vol. 93, no. 1–3, pp. 575–586.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Groenemeijer, P 2005, Sounding-derived parameters associated with severe convective storms in the Netherlands, Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), Utrecht.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Groenemeijer, P & Kühne, T 2014, ‘A climatology of tornadoes in Europe: Results from the European Severe Weather Database’, Monthly Weather Review, vol. 142, pp. 4775–4790.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Groenemeijer, P, Púčik, T, Holzer, AM, Antonescu, B, Riemann-Campe, K, Schultz, DM, Kühne, T, Feuerstein, B, Brooks, HE, Doswell, CA, Koppert, H & Sausen, R 2017, ‘Severe convective storms in Europe: Ten years of research and education at the European Severe Storms Laboratory’, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, vol. 98, pp. 2641–2651.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Jackson, PS 1978, ‘Wind structure near a city center’, Boundary-Layer Meteorology, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 323–340.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Johns, RH & Doswell, CA III 1992,‘Severe local storms forecasting’, Weather and Forecasting, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 588–612.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kossowska-Cezak, U & Bareja, P 1998, ‘Wpływ zabudowy miejskiej Warszawy na kierunek i prędkość wiatru’ [‘Influence of Warsaw built area on wind direction and speed’], Acta Universitatis Lodziensis, Folia Geographica Physica, vol. 3, pp. 463–465.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Linnenluecke, M & Griffiths, A 2010, ‘Beyond adaptation: Resilience for business in light of climate change and weather extremes’, Business & Society, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 477–511.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lorenc, H (ed.) 2012, Klęski żywiołowe a bezpieczeństwo wewnętrzne kraju [Impact of natural disasters on the country's internal security], Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Warsaw.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Majewski, W 2002, ‘Powódź w Gdańsku w lipcu 2001’ [‘The flood in Gdańsk in July 2001’], Gospodarka Wodna, vol. 62, no. 1, pp. 21–23.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mazovian Centre for Regional Research 2019, Ze statystyką przez Warszawę 2019, [With statistics through Warsaw 2019], Statistical Office in Warsaw. Available from: <http://warszawa.stat.gov.pl/>. [31 August 2020].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mejia, JM & Moglen, GE 2010, ‘Impact of the spatial distribution of imperviousness on the hydrologic response of an urbanizing basin’, Hydrological Processes, vol. 24, no. 23, pp. 3359–3373.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nakamura, Y & Oke, TR 1988, ‘Wind, temperature and stability conditions in an east-west oriented urban canyon’, Atmospheric Environment, vol. 22, no. 12, pp. 2691–2700.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
National Weather Service (IMWM – NRI) 2016, Radar & meteorological stations data. Available from: <https://danepubliczne.imgw.pl/>. [10.10.2019].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
National Fire Service 2016, Severe weather events data. Available from: <https://www.gov.pl/web/kgpsp/miejscowe-zagrozenia-polska/>. [17.10.2019].
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nirupama, N & Simonovic, SP 2007, ‘Increase of flood risk due to urbanization: a Canadian example’, Natural Hazards, vol.40, pp. 25–41.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nirupama, N, Adhikari, I & Sheybani, A 2014, ‘Natural hazards in Ontario, Canada: an analysis for resilience building’, Procedia Economics and Finance, vol. 18, pp. 55–61.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pilguj, N, Taszarek, M, Pajurek, Ł & Kryza, M 2019, ‘High-resolution simulation of an isolated tornadic supercell in Poland on 20 June, 2016’, Atmospheric Research, vol. 218, pp. 145–159.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Pilorz, W 2014, ‘Radarowa detekcja superkomórek burzowych w Polsce’, Teledetekcja Środowiska, vol. 51, pp. 93–105.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Popławska, J 2014, ‘Tornada superkomórkowe w Polsce - studium przypadku z 15 sierpnia 2008’, Prace i Studia Geograficzne, vol. 56, pp. 205–229.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Popławska, J 2016, Zastosowanie wybranych metod detekcji tornad i trąb powietrznych na obszarze Polski – studia przypadków [Application of selected methods of detection tornadoes and spouts in Poland – case studies], Ph. D thesis, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies University of Warsaw, Warsaw.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Poręba, S & Ustrnul, Z 2019, ‘Forecasting experiences associated with supercells over South-Western Poland on July 7, 2017’, Atmospheric Research, vol. 232, no. 104681.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Púčik, T, Groenemeijen, P, Rýva, D & Kolář, M 2015, ‘Proximity soundings of severe and nonsevere thunderstorms in central Europe’, Monthly Weather Review, vol. 143, no. 12, pp. 4805–4821.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Richter, A, Ruck, B, Mohr, A & Kunz, M 2018, ‘Interaction of severe convective gusts with a street canyon’, Urban Climate, vol. 23, pp. 71–90.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rotach, MW & Calanca, P 2003, ‘Microclimate’ in Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences, eds JR Holton, JA Curry & JA Pyle, Academic Press, Amsterdam, pp. 1301–1307.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Taszarek, M, Brooks, HE & Czernecki, B 2017, ‘Sounding-derived parameters associated with convective hazards in Europe’, Monthly Weather Review, vol. 145, pp. 1511–1528.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Taszarek, M, Piguj, N, Orlikowski, J, Surowiecki, A, Walczakiewicz, S, Pilorz, W, Piasecki, K, Pajurek, Ł, Półrolniczak, M 2019, ‘Derecho Evolving from a Mesocyclone—A Study of 11 August 2017 Severe Weather Outbreak in Poland: Event Analysis and High-Resolution Simulation’, Monthly Weather Review, vol. 147, pp. 2283–2306.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wawer, J 1995, ‘Wpływ warunków pogodowych na intensywność miejskiej wyspy ciepła w Warszawie’ [‘Influence of weather conditions on the intensity of urban heat island in Warsaw’] in Klimat i bioklimat miast, [‘Climate and bioclimate of cities’], ed. K Kłysik, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Łódź, pp. 71–78.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wawer, J 1997, ‘Miejska wyspa ciepła w Warszawie’ [‘Urban heat Island in Warsaw’], Prace i Studia Geograficzne, vol. 20, pp. 145–197.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Żmudzka, E 2016, ‘Zmienność czasowa i zróżnicowanie przestrzenne wybranych elementów klimatu na terenie Warszawy’ [‘Temporal variability and spatial diversity of selected climate elements in Warsaw’], Zakład Klimatologii Wydziału Geografii i Studiów Regionalnych, University of Warsaw, Warsaw.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Żmudzka, E, Kulesza, K, Lenartowicz, M, Leziak, K, Magnuszewski, A 2019, ‘Assessment of modern hydro-meteorological hazards in a big city – identification for Warsaw’, Meteorological Applications, vol. 26, pp. 500–510.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Żmudzka, E 2019 ‘Badania klimatu Warszawy prowadzone w Zakładzie Klimatologii Wydziału Geografii i Studiów Regionalnych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego (1951–2018)’ [‘Studies on Warsaw's climate carried out at the Department of Climatology, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw (1951–2018)’], Acta Geographica Lodziensia, vol. 108, pp. 127–139.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Severe storms as an example of a natural hazard in the urban area – case studies of the area of Warsaw, Poland

Abstract

Paradigm

My account