Massive Snowfall over the Netherlands and Germany: 24-26 November 2005
Competency Framework
WMO Satellite Skills
Application
Description
November 2005 severe snowfall had major effects in Western Europe. Snowfall caused an outage of power plants leaving people without heating and electricity.
Content
The case study describes the merging process of a comma-like cloud feature with a cold front cloud band. The term instant occlusion is used because the mature stage of the development shows a cloud spiral similar to that of a normal occlusion. But the meteorological processes are totally different from an occlusion process where advection of cold air lifts warm air. The process took place in an area of cold air without a warm front being present.
The subsequent snowfall caused an outage of power plants leaving people without heating and electricity for several days.