Belhydromet Compares Cyclones Uli and Xaver

Belhydromet has compared cyclones Uli and Xaver. Uli, which covered Belarus last week, brought more snow than Xaver, but the 2013 cyclone retained first place in terms of wind strength. This was stated at a press conference at the National Press Centre by the head of Belhydromet’s meteorological forecasting service Maryna Hrytskevich.

“It brought more precipitation than Xaver. And the snow cover was higher than during Xaver. As of the evening of 9 January, the snow depth it brought ranged from 1 to 28 centimetres. At the Berezino weather station — 31 cm. Precipitation ranged from 5 to 43 millimetres. Where does Xaver have the advantage, or rather, first place? It’s the wind. The wind regime during Xaver was 15–24 metres per second,” she said.

She added that during Uli, several weather stations recorded precipitation levels breaking long-term records.

“All cyclone-trajectory calculations predicted it would pass slightly to the east, and the entire Republic of Belarus would be under snowfall. But at the last moment it adjusted its path, with its centre emerging over Homyel Region. And residents of the outer districts of Homyel Region — Brahin, Homyel, and Chachersk — as well as the easternmost districts of Mahilyow Region (Kastsyukovichy), probably experienced liquid precipitation together with glaze ice. Fortunately, this period of rain at sub-zero temperatures was short. The phase quickly returned to snow again,” added Belhydromet First Deputy Head Tatsiana Chatyrko.