A-5-year climatology of squall from Moldova meteorological stations

Thunderstorms bring severe weather conditions such as damaging winds, a large hail and heavy precipitation. The squall phenomenon reported at the meteorological station is characterized by a strong variation of wind: its speed increases suddenly for a short period of time, sometimes of the order of minutes, just as quickly accompanied by a change of direction, in most cases.  The squall precedes or accompanies Cumulonimbus clouds and it is part of the entire range of sudden variations of meteorological elements that can be observed during the passage of a strong thunderstorm. At synoptic and mesoscale this strong thunderstorm are parts of squall lines. Squall line is a quasi-linear convective system that often occur along a cold front or in the warm sector of a midlatitude cyclone, usually about a few kilometers in advance of the cold front.

This study focuses on a 5-year period between 2018 and 2022 to quantify the spatial and temporal characteristics of squalls, as well as the type of thunderstorm associated with them. We used a set of 100 meteorological observations recorded at the following stations: Galati, Focşani, Tecuci, Barlad, Vaslui, Negresti, Iasi, Cotnari, Botosani, Darabani, Suceava, Piatra Neamt, Bacau and Targu Ocna. These meteorological stations are part of Moldova meteorological network. Radar data from the Barnova meteorological radar were used for the purpose of identifying different types of convective organization, in special squall lines and bow echoes. 

 

Keywords: thunderstorm, squall