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Ulli vs. Xavier: Meteorologists rank powerful snowstorms in Belarus

MINSK, 11 January (BelTA) - Could Cyclone Ulli which hit Belarus on 8-10 January rival the much-talked-about Xavier in terms of its impact? BelTA asked the National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Pollution Control, and Environmental Monitoring (Belhydromet) for a comparison.

Specialists have yet to assess the full picture, but thematic Telegram channels are already analyzing the data. We asked the on-duty meteorologists which cyclone was more powerful.

“Indeed, the snowfalls in the country in recent days brought more snow, but the time period was also longer,” Belhydromet reported.

However, Xavier was notable for stronger winds, and overall, the snowdrifts were higher then due to the existing snow cover that had accumulated before the cyclone’s arrival. Blizzards caused snow to drift from side to side. “In the case of Ulli, snowdrifting was also observed, but not as intense. There were snowfalls with similar snow quantities, but in terms of power, they cannot be compared to Xavier,” the meteorologists noted. They added that Xavier is likely to remain in first place in terms of the scale of damage and consequences. During Xavier, snowdrift heights in some places exceeded 60 cm, while according to operational data during Ulli the maximum was 40-45 cm.

Overall, both cyclones have entered Belarus’ meteorological chronicles. Forecasters also mentioned Cyclone Daniella, which was the top newsmaker in January 2016. That event also featured intense precipitation but practically no wind.

The southern cyclone is gradually losing strength. Although the precipitation zone still covers the entire counrty, its intensity has significantly decreased. Due to the influx of cold Arctic air into the cyclone’s rear, temperatures across the country will drop.

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