Video with giant dust and clouds that hang between the sky and the earth are rapidly spreading social networks - and give the impression that tornadoes in Ukraine have become more frequent. But is it really so?
The latter case was recorded on June 3 in Chernihiv - around 17:00 the residents of the city witnessed a powerful thunderstorm, during which a phenomenon similar to a tornado appeared in the sky. Eyewitnesses from different districts filmed a whirlwind on phones, and the video instantly flew the Internet. It was the second case in the city in a few days - this was also recorded on May 30.
Witnesses described the air pillar as thin, which quickly gained strength and moved. Similar phenomena were observed in Smila in Cherkasy region on May 12 - after the heat, whirlwinds, and then hit the hail. Earlier, tornadoes were also recorded in Dnipro, Pavlograd, in Kyiv, Lviv, Volyn, Poltava and even in the Zaporozhye region.
Tunners were always - just we see them now
Experts say that the number of tornadoes in Ukraine is unlikely to increase. According to the forecaster of the Ukrhydromet Center Natalia Ptukh, such phenomena have always occurred in the summer, when the hot, wet air collided with cold - most often in May - August.
The explanation is simple: earlier such phenomena could go unnoticed, and now almost everyone has a phone with a camera - and will have time to take an event that lasts just a few minutes.
The diameter of the tornado is usually several tens of meters. Due to the small area of coverage of the weather station, they practically do not fix these phenomena - unlike videos from drones and smartphones that are full of the Internet.
Is the climate guilty?
Scientists carefully suggest that climate change can affect the power of the tornadoes, but there is no clear evidence yet. According to the climatologist Vira Balabukh, because of the increase in temperature in Ukraine, powerful thunderstorms, squalls and hail are more frequent, and these are the same processes that form tornadoes. However, it is impossible to formally confirm the tendency to increase the frequency of these phenomena - there are no necessary observation tools.
Is it dangerous?
Turnying in Ukraine is usually not as large -scale as in the United States, but they can also cause local destruction - especially for lightweight structures or when they get to the epicenter. If the tornado is approaching, experts are advised to hide in the basement or in a strong building, avoid windows, and in the open area - to lie in the recess, covering their heads with your hands.
So, although the tornadoes are not a new phenomenon for Ukraine, thanks to social networks and the latest technologies, we began to see them better. And perhaps perceive more seriously.
