Meteorologists forecast yellow code of rain, wind in Moldova

Chisinau, 17 January /MOLDPRES/ – The State Hydrometeorological Service (SHS) announced the Yellow Code of wind and heavy rainfall for 17 – 18 January 2018.

According to SHS’s info and media communication service data, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday there are forecast complicated weather conditions: precipitation in the form of rain and snow, in the South region – strong. On average, the amount of rainfall in Moldova, there will be 15 – 20 litres per square metre. The north – west wind will blow up to 15 – 18 metres per second. The meteorologists warn population, public institutions and economic agents that they will produce snowstorms, there will form snowdrifts on some local roads.

During the reference period, the average temperature is expected to be between the minus 2°C to plus 3°C, during the daytime, and minus 02 – 07°C, at night – time.

In the case of Yellow Code, weather conditions are potentially dangerous, forecast weather phenomena (wind intensities, low temperatures, abundant rainfall, etc.) are common to Moldova, but temporarily can become dangerous for certain socio – economic activities.

According to experts’ opinion, the amount of rainfall in January in Moldova is 22 – 41 mm, and number of precipitation days – from 10 to 15. The highest rainfall in January for the entire period of instrumental observations which reached the territory – 216 mm (Carpineni, 1966).

The precipitation mostly falls in mixed phase – rain and snow (35 per cent of normal) and in the form of snow (about 40 per cent of the norm). The average decade thickness of the snow layer in the territory varies between 02 and 10 cm. The maximum thickness of the snow cover on the meteorological platforms some days reached 63 cm (06 January 1966, Cahul). The stable snow cover is formed in northern and northeastern regions on average in the first decade of January and lasts for at least 30 days.

In January, the following phenomena are possible: fog (on average 03 – 10 days), deposits of chickpeas and poplars (on average 04 – 09 days), glaciers (on average 07 – 19 days) and strong blizzards (on average 01 – 03 days).

The most frequent phenomenon of scholastic meteorological phenomena is abundant snowfall, which is possible on average once every 3 years. Significantly, less severe bumps, intense chill and poplar depositions (on average once in 08 – 10 years) and strong winds (on average once in 6 years). Lower air temperatures down to – 25°C and below may occur on average in 07 – 15 years in the northern part of Moldova and once in 30 – 50 years in the south of it.

(Reporter L. Grubii, editor L. Alcaza)