Hail Suppression Agency Is in Full Readiness Due to Anticipated Severe Rainfall Conditions

The Bulgarian hail suppression agency is on full readiness to treat hail clouds to protect agricultural areas amid the expected adverse weather conditions in the country during the upcoming weekend.

The agency has the necessary number of rockets for effective protective operations across all active impact zones in the regions of Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Sliven, and Haskovo. The northern central and northeastern parts of Bulgaria are protected using aircraft-based methods. Currently, three aircraft are on standby to treat hail-prone clouds in these areas.

The agency’s staff monitor real-time data from the radar system designed for early detection of potentially dangerous cloud cells.

Any citizen can monitor this information on the Agency's website in real time. The data is broadcast from an altitude of 2500 m - https://www.weathermod-bg.eu/index.php.

Regarding the hailstorm that occurred within the last 24 hours near Sevlievo, the agency reports that a hail-prone cell was identified north of Mount Botev, and the patrolling aircraft has been directed there for treatment. Several consecutive treatments have been timely carried out along the southern border of the protected territory, using 162 pyrotechnic cartridges. Due to the formation of new cells south of the main one and their close proximity to activated polygons of the Regional Anti-Hail Protection Directorate in the village of Tazha, continuation of treatment became impossible.

Zagora, Sliven, and Haskovo. A total of 26 cloud cells were treated and 524 rockets were fired from the command centers in southern Bulgaria. From the command centers in northern Bulgaria, one cloud cell was treated with 10 rockets fired. Aircraft-based anti-hail protection was carried out over the regions of Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, and Targovishte. Using two aircraft, five hail-prone cells were treated, employing 36 rocket sticks and 344 spools.

Since the start of the active anti-hail protection season, which began on April 15, a total of 65 interventions have been conducted nationwide. So far, 267 hail-prone clouds have been treated, and 4,558 rockets have been fired—2,629 in southern Bulgaria and 1,929 in northern Bulgaria, according to the hail suppression agency,

Source: BTA