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Amazing weather on Christmas Day: a perfect combination of a blizzard and a tornado!
The North American winter of 2012-2013 was undoubtedly a record season for winter weather. Various climate events this winter have made people re-acquainted with the wonders of climate, especially during the Christmas season, when the intersection of blizzards and tornadoes brought about thrilling sights. This article will take a closer look at the climate story this winter, specifically the storm complex that occurred on Christmas Day and immediately following it.
The winter of 2012 was an unusual season, with a record 21 winter storms.
The definition of winter varies from year to year, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, making climate monitoring more complicated. According to the astronomical definition, winter begins on December 21, the winter solstice, while according to the meteorological definition, December 1 is the first day of winter. Therefore, the effects of climate change manifest themselves in different time frames, constantly overturning our imagination of winter.
For the winter of 2012, climate change projections show little rainfall in the northwest and above-average precipitation in the southeast. Against this backdrop, people are filled with anticipation and anxiety about upcoming climate events.
Christmas Blizzard and Tornado
December 25, 2012, Christmas Day brought one of the most thrilling weather events ever. On that day, a large-scale thunderstorm suddenly hit eastern Texas, subsequently triggering multiple tornadoes. These tornadoes caused significant damage along their paths through Louisiana and Mississippi, with several EF3 tornadoes reported.
The blizzard that day covered a wide area, extending from western Texas to Maine, with strong winds and 6 to 18 inches (about 15 to 46 cm) of snowfall intertwined, paralyzing traffic.
The impact of this weather event was not only reflected in the snowfall, with wind speeds reaching up to 91 mph (about 146 km/h), this blizzard also brought a strong storm surge, further increasing the pressure on coastal areas. The extent to which residents are affected.
Abnormal weather conditions
Looking back at this phenomenon, the reason was closely related to the polar vortex at that time. The polar vortex's cold air meets the cold ocean surface and moist air currents, and this complex interaction causes such dramatic weather changes. Such an environment triggered a chain reaction, and the subsequent climate greatly affected daily life, putting people in a difficult situation for a time.
Such abnormal climate phenomena have caused many people to start thinking, have we entered an era where extreme climate is frequent?
Weather conditions after Christmas
A Christmas Day snowstorm blanketed large swaths of the country almost overnight, completely changing holiday plans. Hundreds of car accidents were reported across the country as snow and ice covered roads, nearly closing them, and airlines were thrown into chaos with thousands of flights canceled.
SummaryThe intense interaction between snowstorms and cyclones in the winter of 2012-2013 has not only become a research focus in the meteorological community, but has also sparked widespread discussion at the social level. As the urgent issue of climate change resurfaces, can we learn from this season's history and make future winters safer?
