Storm Elpis
 Elpis on January 25 | |
| Type | Blizzard, European windstorm |
|---|---|
| Formed | 21 January 2022 |
| Duration | 6 days |
| Dissipated | 27 January 2022 |
| Highest gust | 70 mph (110 km/h), nearMilos,Greece[2] |
| Lowest temperature | −33.4 °C (−28.1 °F),Kosanica,Montenegroon January 25[1] |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 1, nearAndros,Greece |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | At least 85 centimetres (2.79 ft; 33 in), nearIstanbul,Turkey[3] |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Part of the2021-22 European windstorm season | |
Elpis,orElpidainGreece,was awindstormandblizzardthat affected most of theEastern Mediterranean.The storm causedblizzardconditions in northernTurkeyand mountainous areas ofGreece,as well as accumulating snowfall in milder locations further south, such asAthens,AntalyaandIsrael.
Meteorological history
[edit]Antecedent weather
[edit]Atmospheric conditions in the weeks leading up to Elpis were defined by a change of large-scale weather patterns: a persistentridgeformed overWestern Europeand a series of dips in thejet streamoccurred to its east.[4]This, in turn, caused repeated instances of polar air outbreaks into theBalkansand theEastern Mediterranean.[4]Diomedes,an earlier and relatively minor storm, had already brought heavy rain and mountain snow toGreece,while causing significant sea-level snowfall in the normally colder region of northernTurkey.[5][6]
A weaklowformed near Aegean Sea on 21 January, partially due to the southeastward movement of a stronger low inwestern Russia,associated with the synoptic structure that had been forcing polar air southwards towardSoutheast Europe.[7][8]While the resulting conditions were also conducive forfrontalsnowfall, due to the temperature difference between the warm seas and the arriving polar air,lake-effectsnow squallswere forecast to be the main contributor to snow totals.[7]
Initial frontal precipitation
[edit]As cold air continued its southerly movement, the moderately heavy rain that had started to affectThraceand northwesternAnatolia,eventually transitioned into snow.[8]Despite this, snowfall accumulations were limited even in northern coastal regions such asIstanbul,due to above freezing temperatures. Heavy rain continued in southwestern Turkey and southeastern Greece, as rainfall amounts in excess of 70 millimetres (2.8 in), inthe Dodecanese,Crete,andAntalya,were recorded.[9][10][11]The heaviest snow remained near southernMarmara,as the initial storm tracked southeast through the day, exiting western Turkey by that evening.[12]
Convective vortex over Istanbul
[edit]The abnormally cold air mass, especially in the upper atmosphere, and vertical profiles made it conducive for convection in the Black Sea off the shores of Istanbul, and subsequently enabled the formation of large bands of convective clouds, which formed into a cyclonic vortex structure on January 24, 2022. This vortex caused unprecedented rates of snowfall, high winds and blizzard conditions in the western parts of Istanbul.[13]
Impact
[edit]Storm Elpis dropped heavy snow in the western and northern parts ofTurkey,GreeceandJerusalem,as well as bringing impacts toAthensand accumulating snow as far south asAntalya.The blizzard suspended intercity transport and closedIstanbul Airport.[14][15][16]Rescue operations were underway in various cities, including the capitalAnkara,to rescue thousands of people trapped in the snow.[17][18]Motorists were stuck in their cars inAttiki Odos,the main ring road of Athens, for 24 hours. The Greek army was ordered to help motorists by delivering food, water, and blankets. Around 3500 people were saved from the ring road but 1200 cars remained stuck due to freezing conditions.[19]Fifteen passengers were injured when operators tried to pull a train stuck in the snow and carrying about 200 passengers.[20][21]TheHellenic National Meteorological Servicereported that alandspoutoccurred onAndrosdue to the storm.[22]Due to the instability of the cold air passing through warm waters above theAegean Sea,the weather front also causedthundersnowsin the regions ofEuboeaandAtticaand asnowspoutinAndros.[23][24][25][26]In addition, very low temperatures were recorded inGreece;the lowest was recorded inLefkochori,Phthiotisat −18.1 °C (−0.6 °F).[27]Further north,Montenegroset a national low temperature record of −33.4 °C (−28.1 °F).[1]
Elpis went as far asIsraelby starting with heavy rain in the North and coastal areas.[28][29]Snow fell throughout the day inMount Hermon,northernGolan Heightsand in the mountains of northern and central Israel, including in Safed andJerusalemin the early hours of January 27, 2022.[30]Three people died in Israel from carbon monoxide poisoning.[31]
-
The effects of Elpis in the Jerusalem neighborhood ofNachlaot -
Sacher Parkin Jerusalem, covered with snow -
Snowman Cone
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abA historic Siberian winter in Balkan! Montenegro with an all-time national record, Kosanica, -33,4°C!,MK Weather, January 25, 2022
- ^"Relevés météo archivés du mardi 25 janvier 2022 à Milos - Grèce | archived weather records in Milos - Infoclimat".www.infoclimat.fr.
- ^"İstanbul'da bazı ilçelerde kar kalınlığı 85 santimetreyi buldu".www.birgun.net.
- ^abPetrou, Alec Moustris, John."meteo.gr: Διαδοχικές ψυχρές εισβολές στη χώρα μας λόγω του κυματισμού της ατμοσφαιρικής κυκλοφορίας στο Βόρειο ημισφαίριο".meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα(in Greek).Retrieved2022-02-01.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^""Diomedes" Weather System Brings Snow, Heavy Rain to Greece ".GreekReporter.com.2022-01-12.Retrieved2022-02-01.
- ^"Relevés météo archivés du jeudi 13 janvier 2022 à Inebolu - Turquie | archived weather records in Inebolu - Infoclimat".www.infoclimat.fr.Retrieved2022-02-01.
- ^abPetrou, Alec Moustris, John."meteo.gr: Πυκνές χιονοπτώσεις και χιονοκαταιγίδες θα προκαλέσει η κακοκαιρία Ελπίς τη Δευτέρα 24/01".meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα(in Greek).Retrieved2022-02-01.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^abPetrou, Alec Moustris, John."meteo.gr: Η έντονη ταλάντωση του αεροχειμάρρου πάνω από την Ευρώπη θα συμβάλει στην μεταφορά πολικών αερίων μαζών προς τη χώρα μας".meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα(in Greek).Retrieved2022-02-01.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Petrou, Alec Moustris, John."meteo.gr: Η εξέλιξη της κακοκαιρίας" Ελπίς "τις επόμενες ώρες".meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα(in Greek).Retrieved2022-02-01.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^"Relevés météo archivés du samedi 22 janvier 2022 à Istanbul / Ataturk - Turquie | archived weather records in Istanbul / Ataturk - Infoclimat".www.infoclimat.fr.Retrieved2022-02-01.
- ^"Relevés météo archivés du samedi 22 janvier 2022 à ALANYA - Turquie | archived weather records in ALANYA - Infoclimat".www.infoclimat.fr.Retrieved2022-02-01.
- ^Petrou, Alec Moustris, John."meteo.gr: Η εξέλιξη της κακοκαιρίας" Ελπίς "το Σάββατο 22/01".meteo.gr - Προγνώσεις καιρού για όλη την Ελλάδα(in Greek).Retrieved2022-02-01.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Tanyeri, Mehmet Can."24 Ocak 2022 Kar Siklonu – İstanbul'daki Yoğun Kar Yağışı İncelemesi – Havaturka Akademi"(in Turkish).Retrieved2022-02-05.
- ^"Blizzard causes Istanbul roof collapse".BBC News.
- ^"Heavy snowfall in Turkey forces Istanbul Airport to shut".Al Jazeera.
- ^Kitsantonis, Niki (January 25, 2022)."Heavy Snow Strands Motorists in Greece and Turkey".NY Times.
- ^"Winter welcome: Stranded drivers freed in Istanbul, Athens".ABC News.
- ^Farooq, Umar."Heavy snowfall cripples life in Istanbul".Al Jazeera.
- ^Kitsantonis, Niki (25 January 2022)."Heavy Snow Strands Motorists in Greece".The New York Times.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Greece Snowstorm: Thousands of drivers left stranded as storm hits Athens".BBC.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Thousands evacuated from Athens motorway as snowstorm hits Greece".Reuters.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^meteo.gr [@meteogr] (January 24, 2022)."Η κίνηση του υδροσίφωνα στις Στενιές Άνδρου όπως καταγράφηκε από κάμερα καιρού! #κακοκαιρια #ελπις (The movement of the water spout in Stenies Andros as recorded by a weather camera! #κακοκαιρια #ελπις)"(Tweet) (in Greek).RetrievedJanuary 24,2022– viaTwitter.
- ^"Wild storm in Greece brings thundersnow to Athens, 'snownado' to Greek island".The Washington Post.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Wild storm in Greece brings thundersnow to Athens".msn.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Snow blankets Greece and Turkey as wild weather system creates rare 'snownado'".CNN.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Storm Elpida: rare snownado sweeps across Greece and Turkey".Express.Retrieved28 January2022.
- ^"oi xamiloteres thermokrasies tis kakokairias Elpida(in greek)".in.Retrieved26 January2022.
- ^"Winter storm Elpis set to bring snow to Jerusalem".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved24 January2022.
- ^"Winter Storm Elpis Heads to Israel, After Battering Greece, Turkey".Haaretz.Haaretz.com.
- ^"Storm Elpis: Snow falls in Jerusalem, schools open despite strike".MSN.com.
- ^"Amid winter storm Elpis, 9 kids suffer CO poisoning from coal burnt to heat homes".The Times of Israel.Retrieved28 January2022.
