Severe storms as an example of a natural hazard in the urban area – case studies of the area of Warsaw, Poland
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.
© 2022 Krzysztof Piasecki, Elwira Żmudzka, published by Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw
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