Northern hemisphere winter 2005/2006

January sees temperatures plummet in eastern Europe 

In January, many European countries bore the brunt of one of the most severe regional winters in recent years. Government officials and emergency services throughout eastern Europe and the Balkans reported the deaths of several hundred people in connection with the low temperatures, which have also placed a huge strain on national fuel consumption and reserves, as well as wreaking havoc on traffic and public transport. 

Several factors have contributed to the regional cold wave, in particular, a high-pressure system over Siberia and eastern Europe, which encouraged the arrival and establishment of cold air from the Arctic over Europe from the north-east. The extent of this year’s event is notable but not unprecedented in past records and is part of the interannual fluctuations of climate variability, which have different impacts over different regions. In 2005, southern Europe, northern Africa and south-west Asia experienced very cold winter conditions as well. 

Winter 2005/2006 has seen temperatures plummet to -38° Celsius in Moscow— the coldest reading for the Russian capital since the winter of 1978/1979. The respective National Meteorological Service recorded -29°C in the Latvian capital of Riga and -27°C in Brandenburg, Germany—both the lowest since 1956. 

First snow in Portugal in more than 50 years

During the last weekend of January 2006, central and southern parts of Portugal experienced their first snow in more than 50 years.

(courtesy of EUMETSAT)

See: http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/Main/News/CorporateNews/005199?l=en

Snow blanket for Japan

On 5 February, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the amount of snow piled in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, surpassed 4 m for the first time since official observations began in the city (1989). In January, the harsh weather conditions prompted the JMA to issue early warnings for snowfall, landslides, flooding and avalanches.

Officials in Japan have reported the snow- and cold-related deaths of some 118 people since the onset of winter, which has so far proved to be the country’s deadliest in two decades. Massive snowfalls have been recorded around the country with drifts reaching record heights in some cases. Victims included those who died when their roofs collapsed under the weight of the snow or who fell trying to clear them. 

See: http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html

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