China News Service, Hohhot, August 11 (Reporter Zhang Linhu and Li Aiping) Regarding the tornado that occurred in Shilamuren Town, Damao Banner, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Han Jingwei, the chief forecaster of the Inner Mongolia Meteorological Observatory, said that strong convective weather such as tornadoes and hail are frequent in the current season. It is a normal phenomenon. In recent years, the frequency of tornadoes in Inner Mongolia has increased during the flood season.

  At about 15:30 on August 9, Sugacha, Huhedian, Shilamuren Town, Damao Banner, was hit by a tornado. According to preliminary statistics, the disaster caused 5 households of herdsmen in Sugacha, Hohhot, and the Swan Lake tourist reception site was more seriously affected. 33 tourists, scenic attendants, and staff were injured to varying degrees, and more than 100 yurts were dumped or damaged.

  Han Jingwei said that a tornado is a violently rotating circular column of air. Its upper end is connected with thunderclouds, some of its lower ends are suspended in the air, and some extend directly to the ground or water, while rotating and moving forward. From a distance, the tornado looked like a giant python hanging in the air, and it was also like an elephant's trunk that kept swinging.

  Han Jingwei said that tornadoes are the product of strong convection, usually accompanied by convective complexes or supercells, and form extremely fast rotating cyclones under strong convective cumulonimbus clouds. "The tornado comes fast, goes fast, and has a small impact range, only between a dozen meters and a few hundred meters." Han Jingwei said.

  According to the Meteorological Department, the cold air affecting Inner Mongolia has been extremely frequent in the near future, and the warm and humid air currents are extremely active, and strong convective weather is inevitable.

  Han Jingwei explained that with the westward and northward extension of the subtropical high, the low-level jet is relatively stable, and the plateau trough moves eastward, the southwest warm and humid air current is stronger than in the previous period, combined with cold air under favorable conditions, and is easy to form deeper The convection system. This convective system provides favorable conditions for the formation of strong convective weather such as tornadoes and hail.

  Can tornadoes be forecasted?

  Han Jingwei said that it is too difficult to catch this "small fish" compared to the "big net" currently established at the observation point. In theory, it is very difficult to predict tornadoes, but it is possible to predict the environmental field conditions and trend possibilities of tornadoes. Judging from the current actual situation, it is still difficult to achieve accurate forecasts, and only minute-level short-term warnings can be carried out.

  The reporter learned that although the current tornado forecast is a worldwide problem, with the continuous development of science and technology, especially the continuous improvement of the new generation of Doppler weather radar, the monitoring and forecasting level of tornadoes in China will be improved. Improved. At present, the method of forecasting tornadoes is mainly to judge the possibility of tornadoes in a certain area based on weather conditions, and then use Doppler weather radar to monitor and issue warnings in time.

  Tornadoes are extremely destructive. Han Jingwei reminded to prevent tornadoes, not only to understand the characteristics of tornadoes, but also to increase awareness of prevention. "Tornadoes are often accompanied by strong convective weather such as thunder and lightning, hail, etc., especially in the afternoon to evening." (End)