Extreme heat reaches Ukraine: What makes it unique
Photo: temperatures in Ukraine exceeded 40 degrees (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
After southern and central Europe, Ukraine has taken over the baton of extreme heat. In previous years, the maximum air temperatures in Ukraine were observed in the first half of August. Now the record heat has come a month earlier, according to to Natalia Holenia, deputy head of the meteorological forecasting department at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center.
Maximum temperatures
"This is quite unusual for the first half of July, as we have the warmest second half of July, and the highest temperatures were recorded in the first half of August," she says.
As an example, Holenia cites 2010, when the hottest weather was in late July and early August, and on August 12, the temperature in Luhansk rose to 42 degrees, the highest value.
"If we reach the next few days, Saturday-Sunday and Monday-Tuesday, then before that we had maximum values in August. Now these values will be in mid-July. That's what's unique," the forecaster explaines.
Cause of heat
According to Holenia, the reason for the heat is that tropical air is coming to Ukraine from the south. Initially, it came from the southeast, and now it is coming from the southwest.
"The air mass from the north of the Balkans will be coming to us in the next three to five days, and it comes to the Balkans from Africa," she says.
According to her, in the daytime, when the weather is low, there is intense heating. "That's why we have the highest values, maximum temperatures that already exceed 30 degrees and will even reach 40," the forecaster says.
Temperature drop
According to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, the heat will ease a bit next week. The temperature is expected to drop in the west of Ukraine starting Monday, July 15, and in the north starting Tuesday.
"But in the south and east, the heat will remain until July 18-20," she says.
According to today's estimates, cooler air will come in from the west and northwest, and the temperature in Kyiv may drop to 25-30 degrees, and in the southeast to 30-35 degrees.
At the same time, the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center expects another heat wave in August. "Summer is not over yet," the forecaster states.
Ukraine has been experiencing hot weather in recent days, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in some places.
