The main culprits of bad weather are cyclones, gigantic atmospheric vortices spanning thousands of kilometres. And like real "stars", they have their own names.
The practice of naming cyclones began during the Second World War for simplicity and is now managed by international meteorological organisations. This helps with forecasts and alerts.
Here are some of the most memorable ones:
- "Xavier" (March 2013).
This cyclone entered history as one of the most powerful natural disasters. During its influence, many areas of the republic received 5-15 cm of fresh snow, with localised accumulations of 16-32 cm. By the morning of 16 March, snow depth ranged from 13 to 61 cm. In some places, up to 164% of the monthly average snowfall was recorded within a single day.
- "Danielle" (January 2016).
This cyclone brought a "snow apocalypse" across the entire republic. It delivered unprecedented snowfalls and blizzards, particularly in the northeast. On 12 January 2016, many areas received approximately half of the monthly average precipitation; the Vitebsk weather station recorded 34 mm. The average snow accumulation following the cyclone's passage was 8-20 cm. The northeastern regions were most affected, with Vitebsk receiving an additional 25 cm of snow and Minsk 21 cm.
- "Bella" (December 2020).
Instead of snow, this cyclone bestowed an armour of ice. For instance, the Orsha weather station observed severe glaze ice with an accretion layer diameter of 20 mm.
Furthermore, in January 2026, the country was visited by Cyclone "Ulli", which added locally up to 42 cm of snow in some areas across the republic.
So, the next time the weather presents a surprise, remember: this spell of severe weather most likely has a name.
This article has been prepared using materials from the Branch "Vitebskoblhydromet" and the Service for Meteorological and Climate Monitoring of Belhydromet.
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