Extreme Weather: Record Rainfall in Argentina and Flooding in Indonesia
Bahía Blanca, Argentina, set a new rainfall record with over 400mm in eight hours, leading to severe flooding and evacuations. Meanwhile, Indonesia faces flooding on Java amid attempts at cloud-seeding to redirect rain. Eastern Europe will experience above-average temperatures, potentially affected by dust transport from Africa.
On Friday, Bahía Blanca, Argentina, experienced an unprecedented rainfall, recording over 400mm (15.7 inches) in just eight hours. This amount is significantly more than the city’s historical record of 175mm, established in 1930, and is roughly equivalent to a year’s worth of precipitation. The region had recently undergone a heatwave, which increased atmospheric instability and humidity levels, paving the way for the heavy rainfall.
The rain was precipitated by a cold front that swept into the area, allowing warm moist air to rise, cool, and condense rapidly, resulting in severe thunderstorms. As this weather system progressed north towards Buenos Aires over the following weekend, it triggered further severe storms characterized by heavy rain, hail, and strong winds. Tragically, ten fatalities have been reported in Bahía Blanca due to the extreme conditions, and over 1,300 individuals have been evacuated from their homes.
The torrential rains led to catastrophic flash flooding, sweeping away vehicles, destroying bridges, and inundating parts of the city with more than two meters of water. Meanwhile, on Indonesia’s main island of Java, heavy rainfall on Thursday induced flash flooding. Prior to this, authorities attempted cloud-seeding to direct rainfall away from densely populated areas such as Jakarta by releasing cloud-condensing nuclei into the atmosphere.
Cloud seeding aims to enhance precipitation control by enabling water vapor to coalesce into droplets. This technique has been previously employed in Indonesia but is still considered experimental, with effectiveness being monitored closely. As the forecast predicts continued heavy rain throughout the week, Java risks further flooding events across the archipelago.
Eastern Europe is expected to experience a warm spell this week, with temperatures soaring to 5-15°C above the seasonal average. Regions in Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece may see highs reaching the mid-to-high 20s Celsius. However, this warm air mass originates from Africa, potentially transporting dust across the Mediterranean, which may lead to reduced visibility and increased fog formation.
The record rainfall in Bahía Blanca highlights the extreme weather patterns exacerbated by recent heatwaves and cold fronts. The devastating impacts, including fatalities and evacuations, underscore the severe consequences of such climatic events. In Indonesia, the experimental approach of cloud-seeding emphasizes ongoing efforts to manage rainfall and flooding risks. As Eastern Europe anticipates above-average temperatures, the implications of dust transport on visibility and weather conditions warrant attention. Overall, these weather events call for vigilant monitoring and proactive measures to mitigate risks associated with climate variability.
Original Source: www.theguardian.com
