Dangerous weather phenomena obzh. Dangerous meteorological phenomena and processes. For mountain and ski trips

phenomena

Dangerous weather

Weather is the main factor

The weather is the main factor that affects

human safety in natural conditions.

Certain weather events make it difficult

human being in the natural environment.

Going on a hike, you need to find out how the

weather in places of planned rest at different times of the year.

We know that...

From the experience of organizing outdoor activities, it has been established that for any area and each type of hiking trip (hiking, mountain, water, skiing), it is possible to distinguish the most favorable and unfavorable seasons in terms of weather conditions.

For mountain and ski trips

So, for amateur mountain hikes, the second half of summer (July - August) is considered the most favorable season in almost all regions of the country.

For ski tourism in the middle lane, March is preferable, and in the northern regions - March - April.

In bad weather

Experienced tourists advise in case of short-term heavy precipitation (heavy rain) to stop at the first convenient place and wait out the bad weather in shelter, under an awning or a cape.

Transitions in the snow and in the rain

You can continue to move in rain and snow on a technically simple section, along trails, on flat terrain, covered with a cape. Immediately after the transition in the rain (or in the snow), it is necessary to organize a bivouac, best of all in a shelter where you can make a fire, change clothes, and dry your wet clothes and shoes.

What to do during a thunderstorm

Particular care must be taken during thunderstorms. This weather phenomenon is associated with the development of cumulonimbus clouds and the accumulation of large electrical charges in them. The greatest danger to humans is a direct lightning strike.

Lightning

Lightning is a giant electrical discharge that occurs between thunderclouds or between clouds and the ground. The currents generated in the ground during lightning strikes on the earth's surface are also dangerous.

Harbingers

Harbingers of a thunderstorm are powerful cumulonimbus clouds, multiple flashes of lightning, thunder. Just before the start of a thunderstorm, there is usually a lull or the wind changes direction, then suddenly the wind (swell) increases sharply and it begins to rain.

First measures

If you are on a hill when a thunderstorm approaches (on a ridge, hill, steep slope), you need to go down as quickly as possible to avoid being hit by lightning.

If you are in the water, you need to get ashore quickly.

In the forest, it is best to hide among low trees with dense undergrowth.

Remember that among trees, birch and maple are less susceptible to direct lightning strikes, and oak and poplar are the most susceptible.

We take cover

In open areas, you should choose sandy or rocky areas, you can hide in a dry hole, ditch, ravine.

In the mountains, it is undesirable to seek shelter from a thunderstorm in small grottoes (shallow caves with a wide entrance), rock pits, depressions, as there is a danger of being struck by currents formed in the ground after a lightning strike.

In a cave

If you still had to take refuge in a cave, grotto, large depression, you can’t be at the entrance or in the far corner of such a place, the position of a person is safe when the distance between him and the walls is at least 1 m.

Remember!

During a thunderstorm, do not:

be located next to the railway track, near a reservoir, near a tall object (tree);

lean head, back or other parts of the body against the surface of rocks, tree trunks;

stop at the edges of the forest and forest clearings.

What to do during a blizzard

In a blizzard, with strong wind and cold, a person’s normal breathing is disturbed, the heat-shielding properties of clothing are reduced, due to poor visibility, he loses his bearings, can get lost, exhausted and die.

What to do during a blizzard

A blizzard does not come suddenly. Before it begins, there is an increase in air temperature and a gradual increase in wind speed. A harbinger of a blizzard is the appearance of a dark gray or black cloud growing on the horizon with changing outlines. The wind gradually intensifies and becomes gusty, which raises the snow and disperses the snow. A cloud covers the entire sky, and a blizzard begins.

What to do during a blizzard

It is best to wait out the blizzard in the bivouac camp. If the group is moving along the route when a blizzard approaches, it is necessary to immediately stop, set up camp and wait for it to end.

What to do during a blizzard

The primary task facing a group of tourists before or after the onset of a blizzard is to set up a bivouac. When pitching a tent, you should find at least partial shelter from the wind. The tent is set up with an entrance on the leeward side, its extensions are fixed by sticking them into the snow with skis or ski poles. After setting up the tent, backpacks are brought in, which are placed at the rear windward wall and at the corners of the tent.

What to do during a blizzard

When setting up a bivouac in a snowstorm, you must not leave the tent. A tourist who has moved away from the tent and lost sight of the camp must return back in his footsteps. If the tracks are covered, you should stop and take all measures to independently arrange a temporary shelter.

Signs of bad weather

If it is clear during the day, and in the evening the clouds thicken, then rain or a change in weather should be expected.

Wavy (altocumulus) clouds resembling ripples or crests of waves are a sure sign of the onset of inclement weather after a few hours. The air temperature in winter rises slightly, warming sets in. In summer, the difference between the air temperature during the day and at night decreases, in the evening it is warmer than during the day.

The wind intensifies, especially in the evening, the regular daily changes in local winds are disturbed.

Cloudiness increases, clouds move in the opposite direction or across the direction in which the wind blows near the earth's surface.

The sun sets in a cloud, the evening dawn has a bright red color.

Natural hazards are extreme climatic or meteorological phenomena that occur naturally at one point or another on the planet. In some regions, such hazards may occur with greater frequency and destructive force than in others. Hazardous natural phenomena develop into natural disasters when the infrastructure created by civilization is destroyed and people die.

1. Earthquakes

Among all natural hazards, the first place should be given to earthquakes. In places of breaks in the earth's crust, tremors occur, which cause vibrations of the earth's surface with the release of gigantic energy. The resulting seismic waves are transmitted over very long distances, although these waves have the greatest destructive power in the epicenter of the earthquake. Due to strong vibrations of the earth's surface, mass destruction of buildings occurs.
Since there are quite a lot of earthquakes, and the surface of the earth is quite densely built up, the total number of people in history who died precisely as a result of earthquakes exceeds the number of all victims of other natural disasters and amounts to many millions. For example, over the past decade around the world, about 700 thousand people have died from earthquakes. From the most devastating shocks, entire settlements instantly collapsed. Japan is the most earthquake-affected country, and one of the most catastrophic earthquakes occurred there in 2011. The epicenter of this earthquake was in the ocean near the island of Honshu, according to the Richter scale, the magnitude of the shocks reached 9.1 points. Powerful aftershocks and the subsequent devastating tsunami disabled the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, destroying three of the four power units. Radiation covered a large area around the station, rendering densely populated areas so valuable in Japanese conditions uninhabitable. A colossal tsunami wave turned into a mess what the earthquake could not destroy. More than 16 thousand people officially died, among which another 2.5 thousand who are considered missing can be safely added. In this century alone, devastating earthquakes have occurred in the Indian Ocean, Iran, Chile, Haiti, Italy, and Nepal.

2. Tsunami waves

A specific water disaster in the form of tsunami waves often results in numerous casualties and catastrophic destruction. As a result of underwater earthquakes or shifts of tectonic plates in the ocean, very fast, but hardly noticeable waves arise, which grow into huge ones as they approach the coast and enter shallow water. Most often, tsunamis occur in areas with increased seismic activity. A huge mass of water, rapidly moving ashore, blows everything in its path, picks it up and carries it deep into the coast, and then carries it into the ocean with a reverse current. Humans, unable to feel danger like animals, often do not notice the approach of a deadly wave, and when they do, it is too late.
A tsunami usually kills more people than the earthquake that caused it (the latter in Japan). In 1971, the most powerful tsunami ever observed occurred there, the wave of which rose 85 meters at a speed of about 700 km / h. But the most catastrophic was the tsunami observed in the Indian Ocean in 2004, the source of which was an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, which claimed the lives of about 300 thousand people along a large part of the coast of the Indian Ocean.

A tornado (in America this phenomenon is called a tornado) is a fairly stable atmospheric vortex, most often occurring in thunderclouds. He is a visa...

3. Volcanic eruption

Throughout its history, mankind has remembered many catastrophic volcanic eruptions. When the pressure of magma exceeds the strength of the earth's crust in the weakest places, which are volcanoes, this ends with an explosion and outpourings of lava. But the lava itself is not so dangerous, from which you can simply get away, as hot pyroclastic gases rushing from the mountain, pierced here and there by lightning, as well as a noticeable effect on the climate of the strongest eruptions.
Volcanologists count about half a thousand dangerous active volcanoes, several dormant supervolcanoes, not counting thousands of extinct ones. So, during the eruption of the Tambora volcano in Indonesia, for two days the surrounding lands were plunged into darkness, 92 thousand inhabitants died, and a cold snap was felt even in Europe and America.
List of some strong volcanic eruptions:

• Volcano Laki (Iceland, 1783). As a result of that eruption, a third of the population of the island died - 20 thousand inhabitants. The eruption lasted for 8 months, during which flows of lava and liquid mud erupted from volcanic cracks. The geysers have never been more active. Living on the island at that time was almost impossible. The crops were destroyed, and even the fish disappeared, so the survivors experienced hunger and suffered from unbearable living conditions. This may be the longest eruption in human history.
• Volcano Tambora (Indonesia, Sumbawa Island, 1815). When the volcano exploded, the sound of this explosion spread over 2,000 kilometers. Ash covered even the remote islands of the archipelago, 70 thousand people died from the eruption. But even today, Tambora is one of the highest mountains in Indonesia that retains volcanic activity.
• Volcano Krakatoa (Indonesia, 1883). 100 years after Tambora, another catastrophic eruption occurred in Indonesia, this time "blowing the roof off" (literally) the Krakatoa volcano. After the catastrophic explosion that destroyed the volcano itself, frightening peals were heard for another two months. A huge amount of rocks, ash and hot gases were thrown into the atmosphere. The eruption was followed by a powerful tsunami with a wave height of up to 40 meters. These two natural disasters together destroyed 34,000 islanders along with the island itself.
• Volcano Santa Maria (Guatemala, 1902). After a 500-year hibernation in 1902, this volcano woke up again, starting the 20th century with the most catastrophic eruption, which resulted in the formation of a one and a half kilometer crater. In 1922, Santa Maria again reminded of itself - this time the eruption itself was not too strong, but a cloud of hot gases and ash brought death to 5 thousand people.

4. Tornadoes

There are a wide variety of dangerous places on our planet, which have recently begun to attract a special category of extreme tourists looking for...

A tornado is a very impressive natural phenomenon, especially in the USA, where it is called a tornado. This is an air stream twisted in a spiral into a funnel. Small tornadoes resemble slender narrow pillars, and giant tornadoes can resemble a mighty carousel directed to the sky. The closer to the funnel, the stronger the wind speed, it begins to drag along ever larger objects, up to cars, wagons and light buildings. In the "tornado alley" of the United States, entire city blocks are often destroyed, people die. The most powerful vortices of category F5 reach a speed of about 500 km/h in the center. The state of Alabama suffers the most every year from tornadoes.

There is a kind of fire tornado, which sometimes occurs in the area of ​​massive fires. There, from the heat of the flame, powerful ascending currents are formed, which begin to twist into a spiral, like an ordinary tornado, only this one is filled with flame. As a result, a powerful draft is formed near the surface of the earth, from which the flame grows even stronger and incinerates everything around. When the catastrophic earthquake hit Tokyo in 1923, it caused massive fires that led to the formation of a fiery tornado that rose 60 meters. The column of fire moved towards the square with frightened people and burned 38 thousand people in a few minutes.

5. Sandstorms

This phenomenon occurs in sandy deserts when a strong wind rises. Sand, dust and soil particles rise to a sufficiently high height, forming a cloud that dramatically reduces visibility. If an unprepared traveler gets into such a storm, he can die from grains of sand falling into the lungs. Herodotus described history as in 525 BC. e. in the Sahara, a 50,000-strong army was buried alive by a sandstorm. In Mongolia, 46 people died as a result of this natural phenomenon in 2008, and two hundred people suffered the same fate the year before.

Throughout the history of mankind, the strongest earthquakes have repeatedly caused enormous damage to people and caused a huge number of casualties among the population ...

6. Avalanches

From the snow-covered mountain peaks, snow avalanches periodically descend. Climbers especially often suffer from them. During World War I, up to 80,000 people died from avalanches in the Tyrolean Alps. In 1679, five thousand people died in Norway from snowmelt. In 1886, there was a major disaster, as a result of which the "white death" claimed 161 lives. The records of the Bulgarian monasteries also mention the human victims of snow avalanches.

7 Hurricanes

They are called hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Pacific. These are huge atmospheric vortices, in the center of which the strongest winds and sharply reduced pressure are observed. In 2005, the devastating hurricane Katrina swept over the United States, which especially affected the state of Louisiana and the densely populated New Orleans located at the mouth of the Mississippi. 80% of the city was flooded, killing 1836 people. Notable destructive hurricanes have also become:

• Hurricane Ike (2008). The diameter of the eddy was over 900 km, and in its center the wind was blowing at a speed of 135 km/h. In the 14 hours that the cyclone moved across the United States, it managed to cause $30 billion worth of damage.
• Hurricane Wilma (2005). This is the largest Atlantic cyclone in the history of meteorological observations. A cyclone that originated in the Atlantic made landfall several times. The amount of damage inflicted by him amounted to $ 20 billion, 62 people died.
• Typhoon Nina (1975). This typhoon was able to breach China's Bankiao Dam, causing the dams below to collapse and causing catastrophic flooding. The typhoon killed up to 230,000 Chinese.

8. Tropical cyclones

These are the same hurricanes, but in tropical and subtropical waters, which are huge low-pressure atmospheric systems with winds and thunderstorms, often exceeding a thousand kilometers in diameter. Near the surface of the earth, winds in the center of the cyclone can reach speeds of over 200 km/h. Low pressure and wind cause the formation of a coastal storm surge - when colossal masses of water are thrown ashore at high speed, washing everything in their path.

It is difficult to scare a Russian person with anything, especially bad roads. Even safe tracks take thousands of lives a year, let alone those a...

9. Landslide

Prolonged rains can cause landslides. The soil swells, loses its stability and slides down, taking with it everything that is on the surface of the earth. Most often, landslides occur in the mountains. In 1920, the most devastating landslide occurred in China, under which 180 thousand people were buried. Other examples:

• Bududa (Uganda, 2010). Due to mudflows, 400 people died, and 200 thousand had to be evacuated.
• Sichuan (China, 2008). Avalanches, landslides and mudflows caused by an 8-magnitude earthquake claimed 20,000 lives.
• Leyte (Philippines, 2006). The downpour caused a mudflow and a landslide that killed 1,100 people.
• Vargas (Venezuela, 1999). Mudflows and landslides after heavy rains (almost 1000 mm of precipitation fell in 3 days) on the northern coast led to the death of almost 30 thousand people.

10. Fireballs

We are accustomed to ordinary linear lightning accompanied by thunder, but ball lightning is much rarer and more mysterious. The nature of this phenomenon is electrical, but scientists cannot yet give a more accurate description of ball lightning. It is known that it can have different sizes and shapes, most often these are yellowish or reddish luminous spheres. For unknown reasons, ball lightning often ignores the laws of mechanics. Most often they occur before a thunderstorm, although they can appear in absolutely clear weather, as well as indoors or in the cockpit. The luminous ball hangs in the air with a slight hiss, then it can start moving in an arbitrary direction. Over time, it seems to shrink until it disappears altogether or explodes with a roar.

Weather is the main factor on which human safety in natural conditions depends. Some weather phenomena significantly complicate the stay of a person in the natural environment.

Going on a hike, you need to find out how the weather changes in the places of the planned vacation at different times of the year.

It is known that for any terrain and every type of hiking trip(hiking, mountain, water, ski) it is possible to distinguish the most favorable and unfavorable seasons according to weather conditions. So, for amateur mountain hikes, the second half of summer (July - August) is considered the most favorable season in almost all regions of the country.

For ski touring in the middle lane, March is preferable, and in the northern regions - March - April.

In the natural environment people most often encounter such weather phenomena like atmospheric precipitation (rain, snow, hail). In a city or village, they do not cause much inconvenience, as a person can hide in buildings, public transport, etc.

Another thing in the natural environment, where you need to be able to provide protection from adverse weather, using equipment and natural shelters.

Experienced travelers advise in case of short-term intense precipitation (heavy rain), stop at the first convenient place and wait out the bad weather in shelter, under an awning or a cape.

You can continue to move in rain and snow on a technically simple section, along trails, on flat terrain, covered with a cape. Immediately after the transition in the rain (or in the snow), it is necessary to organize a bivouac, best of all in a shelter where you can make a fire, change clothes, dry your wet clothes and shoes.

What to do during a thunderstorm

Particular care must be taken during thunderstorms. This weather phenomenon is associated with the development of cumulonimbus clouds and the accumulation of large electrical charges in them. The greatest danger to humans is a direct lightning strike.

Lightning is a giant electrical discharge that occurs between thunderclouds or between clouds and the ground. The currents generated in the earth after lightning strikes on the earth's surface are also dangerous.

Storm harbingers- powerful cumulonimbus clouds, multiple flashes of lightning, thunder. Just before the start of a thunderstorm, there is usually a lull or the wind changes direction, then suddenly the wind (swell) increases sharply and it begins to rain.

As the storm approaches, before the rain starts, you should try to find a safe place, set up a bivouac or make a shelter.

If you are at the approach of a thunderstorm on a hill(on a ridge, a hill, a steep slope), you need to go down as quickly as possible to avoid being hit by lightning.

If you are in water need to get ashore quickly.

If you are in the forest, it is best to hide among low trees with dense undergrowth.

Remember that among trees, birch and maple are less susceptible to direct lightning strikes, and oak and poplar are the most susceptible.

In open area you should choose sandy or rocky areas, you can hide in a dry hole, ditch, ravine.

In the mountains it is undesirable to seek shelter from a thunderstorm in small grottoes (shallow caves with a wide entrance), rock pits, depressions, as there is a danger of being struck by currents formed in the ground after lightning strikes.

If you still had to hide in a cave, grotto, large hollow, you can’t be at the entrance or in the far corner of such a place, the position of a person is safe when the distance between him and the walls is at least 1 m.

Having chosen a place in the shelter, you need to sit down, pulling your knees to your chest and wrapping your arms around them. It is unacceptable to touch the head, back or other parts of the body with the surface of rocks or soil.

For insulation torso and legs from the earth's surface, you can use a backpack and other items of equipment, wrapping these items in plastic wrap.

During a thunderstorm, do not:

■ be located next to the railroad tracks, near a pond, near a tall object (tree);
■ lean head, back or other parts of the body against the surface of rocks, tree trunks;
■ stop at the edges of the forest and forest clearings.

What to do during a blizzard

In winter, a considerable danger to a person in natural conditions (ski trip) is a snowstorm, a snowstorm. The blizzard is characterized by strong winds with snow. It can last from several hours to several days.

In a blizzard, with strong wind and cold, a person’s normal breathing is disturbed, the heat-shielding properties of clothing are reduced, due to poor visibility, he loses his bearings, can get lost, exhausted and die.

In order not to get into a snowstorm on the route, you need to prepare for it in time and know the signs of its approach.

A blizzard does not come suddenly. Before it begins, there is an increase in air temperature and a gradual increase in wind speed. A harbinger of a blizzard is the appearance of a dark gray or black cloud growing on the horizon with changing outlines. The wind gradually intensifies and becomes gusty, which raises the snow and disperses the snow. A cloud covers the entire sky, and a blizzard begins.

It is best to wait out the blizzard in the bivouac camp. If the group is moving along the route when a snowstorm approaches, it is necessary to stop immediately, set up camp and wait for it to end.

If, when a blizzard is approaching, there is an opportunity to hide in the forest, it is necessary to move, having previously put on windbreakers, down jackets, insulated mittens.

First priority, standing in front of a group of tourists before or after the onset of a snowstorm, is a bivouac device. When pitching a tent, you should find at least partial shelter from the wind. The tent is set up with an entrance from the leeward side, its extensions are fixed by sticking them into the snow with skis or ski poles. After setting up the tent, backpacks are brought in, which are placed at the rear windward wall and at the corners of the tent.

When setting up a bivouac in a snowstorm, you can not leave the tent. A tourist who has moved away from the tent and lost sight of the camp must return back in his footsteps. If the tracks are covered, you should stop and take all measures to independently arrange a temporary shelter.

Signs of bad weather

If it's clear during the day, and in the evening the clouds thicken, then you should expect rain or a change in the weather.

Wavy (altocumulus) clouds, resembling ripples or crests of waves - a sure sign of the onset of inclement weather in a few hours.

There may be other signs of bad weather as well.

■ The air temperature rises slightly in winter, and warming sets in. In summer, the difference between the air temperature during the day and at night decreases, in the evening it is warmer than during the day.
■ The wind intensifies, especially in the evening, the correct diurnal changes in local winds are disturbed.
■ Cloudiness is increasing, clouds are moving in the opposite direction or across the direction in which the wind blows near the earth's surface.
■ The sun sets in a cloud, the evening dawn is bright red.

Test yourself

■ Why do I need to know the weather forecast before going outdoors?
■ How can you protect yourself from the elements in the natural environment?
■ How dangerous is a thunderstorm for a person in natural conditions?

After lessons

List the precautions you should take to protect yourself from a blizzard. Write them down in a safety diary.

Using the materials of the paragraph and the Internet, draw a table in the security diary and fill it out.

To predict dangerous phenomena, Roshydromet has developed criteria - according to them, experts determine the degree of danger of an impending or already occurring disaster. A total of 19 weather phenomena have been identified that may pose a serious threat.

Element #1: Wind

Very strong wind(at sea - a storm). The speed of the elements exceeds 20 meters per second, and with gusts it increases by a quarter. For high-altitude and coastal areas, where winds are more frequent and intense, the standard is 30 and 35 meters per second, respectively.

In Russia, Primorye, the North Caucasus and the Baikal region suffer from storms more often than other regions. The strongest winds blow in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the islands of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and in the city of Anadyr on the edge of Chukotka: the air flow speed often exceeds 60 meters per second.

Hurricane- the same as a strong wind, but even more intense - with gusts, the speed reaches 33 meters per second. During a hurricane, it is better to be at home - the wind is so strong that it can knock a person down and cause injury.

The hurricane on May 29 of this year in Moscow was the largest in terms of the number of victims in the last hundred years. During the hurricane on May 29, the wind speed in some areas of the capital reached 25 m/s. More than 10 people died, more than a hundred were injured.

Squall- wind speed of 25 meters per second, not weakening for at least a minute. It poses a threat to life and health, can damage infrastructure, cars and houses.

Tornado- a vortex in the form of a pillar or cone, heading from the clouds to the surface of the Earth. On July 31, 2011, in Blagoveshchensk, Amur Region, a tornado overturned three trucks, damaged more than 50 support poles, roofs of houses, non-residential buildings and broke 150 trees.

A meeting with a vortex can be the last in life: inside its funnel, the speed of air flows can reach 320 meters per second, approaching the speed of sound (340.29 meters per second), and the pressure can drop to 500 millimeters of mercury (the norm is 760 mm Hg). st). Caught in the range of this powerful "vacuum cleaner" objects rise into the air and rush through it at great speed.

frost called a temporary decrease in the temperature of the soil or air near the ground to zero (against the background of positive average daily temperatures).

hard frost registered when the temperature reaches a dangerous value. Each region usually has its own.

If in the period from October to March the average daily temperature is seven degrees below the long-term norm, it means that abnormal cold. Such weather leads to accidents in housing and communal services, as well as to the freezing of crops and green spaces.

Element number 2: water

Heavy rain. If more than 30 millimeters of rain fell in an hour, such weather is classified as a heavy downpour. It is dangerous because the water does not have time to go into the ground and drain into the rain sewer. Heavy rains form powerful streams that paralyze traffic on the roads. Washing away the soil, water masses bring down metal structures to the ground. In hilly or ravine-dissected areas, heavy rainfall increases the risk of mudflows.

If at least 50 millimeters of precipitation falls in 12 hours, meteorologists classify this phenomenon as "Very heavy rain", which can also lead to the formation of mudflows. For mountainous areas, the critical indicator is 30 millimeters, since the likelihood of catastrophic consequences is higher there.

Powerful mud stream with fragments of stones is a mortal danger: its speed can reach six meters per second, and the “head of the elements”, the leading edge of the mudflow, is 25 meters in height.

In July 2000, a powerful mudflow hit the town of Tyrnyanz in Karachay-Cherkessia. 40 people were missing, eight were killed, eight more were hospitalized. Residential buildings and infrastructure of the city were damaged.

Continuous heavy rain. Precipitation that fell within half or a whole day should exceed the mark of 100 millimeters, or 120 millimeters in two days. For rainy areas, the norm is 60 millimeters.

The probability of flooding, flushing and convergence of mudflows during prolonged heavy rain increases dramatically.

Very heavy snow. This type of dangerous phenomenon means heavy snowfall, as a result of which more than 20 millimeters of precipitation falls in 12 hours. This amount of snow blocks roads and makes it difficult for cars to move.

hail It is considered large if the diameter of the ice balls exceeds 20 millimeters. This weather phenomenon poses a serious danger to property and human health. Hailstones falling from the sky can damage cars, shatter windows, destroy vegetation, and destroy crops.

In August 2015, hail hit the Stavropol Territory, accompanied by heavy rain and wind. Eyewitnesses filmed on smartphones hailstones the size of a chicken egg and a diameter of five centimeters!

strong blizzard called a weather phenomenon in which for half a day the visibility from flying snow is up to 500 meters, and the wind speed does not drop below 15 meters per second. During the rampage of the elements, driving becomes dangerous, flights are canceled.

Heavy fog or mist, are the conditions under which for 12 hours or more visibility is from five to zero meters. The reason for this may be a suspension of tiny drops of water with a moisture content of up to one and a half grams of water per cubic meter of air, soot particles and tiny ice crystals.

Meteorologists determine atmospheric visibility using a special technique or using a transmissometer device.

Heavy ice. This weather phenomenon is recorded by a special device - an icing machine. Among the characteristic features of this bad weather are ice from 20 millimeters thick, wet, non-melting snow 35 millimeters high, or frost half a centimeter thick.

Ice provokes many accidents and leads to casualties.

Element number 3: earth

Dust storm It is recorded by meteorologists when, for 12 hours, dust and sand carried by the wind at a speed of at least 15 meters per second impair visibility at a distance of up to half a kilometer.

Element number 4: fire

Abnormal heat It is recorded by meteorologists when in the period from April to September for five days the average daily temperature is seven degrees above the climatic norm of the region.

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction noted that from 2005 to 2014, more than 7,000 people died from the effects of heat waves.

Heatwave- the temperature exceeds the established dangerous threshold in the period from May to August (the critical value for each territory is different).

This leads to droughts, increased fire risk and heat stroke.

Extreme fire hazard. This type of dangerous phenomenon is declared at high air temperature, associated with a lack of precipitation.

Natural phenomena are ordinary, sometimes even supernatural climatic and meteorological events that occur naturally in all corners of the planet. It can be snow or rain familiar from childhood, or it can be incredible destructive or earthquakes. If such events take place away from a person and do not cause material damage to him, they are considered unimportant. No one will draw attention to this. Otherwise, dangerous natural phenomena are considered by mankind as natural disasters.

Research and observation

People began to study characteristic natural phenomena in ancient times. However, it was possible to systematize these observations only in the 17th century, even a separate section of science (natural science) was formed that studies these events. However, despite many scientific discoveries, to this day, some natural phenomena and processes remain poorly understood. Most often, we see the consequence of an event, and we can only guess about the root causes and build various theories. Researchers in many countries are working on forecasting the occurrence, and most importantly, preventing their possible occurrence or at least reducing the damage caused by natural phenomena. And yet, despite all the destructive power of such processes, a person always remains a person and strives to find something beautiful, sublime in this. What natural phenomenon is the most fascinating? They can be listed for a long time, but, probably, it should be noted such as a volcanic eruption, a tornado, a tsunami - they are all beautiful, despite the destruction and chaos that remain after them.

Weather phenomena of nature

Natural phenomena characterize the weather with its seasonal changes. Each season has its own set of events. So, for example, in the spring the following snowmelt, flood, thunderstorms, clouds, wind, rains are observed. In summer, the sun gives the planet an abundance of heat, natural processes at this time are most favorable: clouds, warm wind, rain and, of course, a rainbow; but can also be severe: thunderstorms, hail. In autumn they change, the temperature drops, the days become cloudy, with rain. During this period, the following phenomena prevail: fogs, leaf fall, hoarfrost, first snow. In winter, the plant world falls asleep, some animals hibernate. The most frequent natural phenomena are: freezing, snowstorm, blizzard, snow, on the windows appear

All these events are ordinary for us, we have not paid attention to them for a long time. Now let's look at the processes that remind humanity that it is not the crown of all, and the planet Earth just sheltered it for a while.

Dangerous natural phenomena

These are extreme and severe climatic and meteorological processes that occur in all parts of the world, but some regions are considered more vulnerable to certain types of events than others. Hazardous natural phenomena become disasters when infrastructure is destroyed and people die. These losses represent major obstacles to human development. It is practically impossible to prevent such cataclysms; all that remains is timely forecasting of events in order to prevent casualties and material damage.

However, the difficulty lies in the fact that dangerous natural phenomena can take place on different scales and at different times. In fact, each of them is unique in its own way, and therefore it is very difficult to predict it. For example, flash floods and tornadoes are destructive but short-lived events affecting relatively small areas. Other dangerous disasters, such as droughts, can develop very slowly, but affect entire continents and entire populations. Such disasters last for several months, and sometimes even years. In order to control and predict these events, some national hydrological and meteorological services and special specialized centers are entrusted with the task of studying hazardous geophysical phenomena. This includes volcanic eruptions, airborne ash, tsunamis, radioactive, biological, chemical pollution, etc.

Now let's take a closer look at some natural phenomena.

Drought

The main reason for this cataclysm is the lack of rainfall. Drought is very different from other natural disasters in its slow development, often hidden by various factors. There are even recorded cases in world history when this disaster lasted for many years. Drought often has devastating consequences: First, water sources (streams, rivers, lakes, springs) dry up, many crops stop growing, then animals die, and ill health and malnutrition become widespread.

Tropical cyclones

These natural phenomena are areas of very low atmospheric pressure over subtropical and tropical waters, forming a colossal rotating system of thunderstorms and winds hundreds (sometimes thousands) of kilometers across. The speed of surface winds in the zone of a tropical cyclone can reach two hundred kilometers per hour or even more. The interaction of low pressure and wind-driven waves often results in a coastal storm surge - a huge volume of water washed ashore with tremendous force and high speed, which washes everything in its path.

Air pollution

These natural phenomena arise as a result of the accumulation in the air of harmful gases or particles of substances resulting from cataclysms (volcanic eruptions, fires) and human activities (the work of industrial enterprises, vehicles, etc.). Haze and smoke come from fires on undeveloped lands and forest areas, as well as burning the remains of crops and logging; in addition, due to the formation of volcanic ash. These atmospheric pollutants have very serious consequences for the human body. As a result of such cataclysms, visibility is reduced, there are interruptions in the operation of road and air transport.

desert locust

Such natural phenomena cause serious damage in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the southern part of the European continent. When ecological and weather conditions favor the reproduction of these insects, they tend to concentrate in small areas. However, with an increase in the number of locusts, it ceases to be an individual creature and turns into a single living organism. From small groups, huge flocks are formed, moving in search of food. The length of such a jamb can reach tens of kilometers. In a day, he can cover distances of up to two hundred kilometers, sweeping away all vegetation in his path. So, one ton of locusts (this is a small part of the flock) can eat as much food per day as ten elephants or 2500 people eat. These insects pose a threat to millions of pastoralists and farmers living in vulnerable environmental conditions.

Flash floods and flash floods

Data can occur anywhere after heavy rainfall. Any flood plains are vulnerable to flooding, and severe storms cause flash floods. In addition, flash floods are sometimes even observed after periods of drought, when very heavy rains fall on a hard and dry surface through which the water flow cannot seep into the ground. These natural events are characterized by a wide variety of types: from violent small floods to a powerful layer of water that covers vast areas. They can be caused by tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, monsoons, extratropical and tropical cyclones (their strength can be increased by the influence of the warm El Niño current), melting snow and ice jams. In coastal areas, storm surges often result in flooding as a result of tsunamis, cyclones or rising river levels due to unusually high tides. The reason for the flooding of vast territories below the barrier dams is often the flood on the rivers, which is caused by melting snow.

Other natural hazards

1. Debris (mud) flow or landslide.

5. Lightning.

6. Extreme temperatures.

7. Tornado.

10. Fires on undeveloped lands or in forests.

11. Heavy snow and rain.

12. Strong winds.