CATASTROPHIC FLOOD ON THE DANUBE RIVER IN AUGUST 2002

V. N. Mikhailov, M. V. Mikhailova, V. N. Morozov, M. V. Kornilov, and V. N. Khudoleev

The formation and transformation of the Danube catastrophic rainfall flood in August 2002 and the preceding meteorological situation have been studied. Heavy rains that triggered the flood were mainly attributed to the deepening of a frontal zone, where very cold Arctic air interacted with a very warm Atlantic tropical air mass. The Danube flood peak spread from the river head to the Iron Gates reservoir in 15 days. In some settlements of the upper part of the Danube the levels exceeded historical marks and caused a catastrophic flood. Downstream of the reservoir owing to the timely release of water, the flood was transformed into an artificial flash. It rapidly spread along the lower Danube and did not cause flooding.