What is a Thunderstorm?

Study Notes

Types of Thunderstorms

Multi-cell lines: a group of storms arranged in a line with high winds and heavy rain; not likely to produce tornadoes
Supercells: storms that last longer than an hour and are very organized; gain power by a tilted and rotating updraft; can produce large and violent tornadoes
Severe Thunderstorms: classified as severe when containing hail one inch or greater, winds exceeding 58 mph, or a tornado; can occur from any type of storm cell

Hazards

Lightning: created when ice particles collide and bounce off each other; releases electrical energy, usually within the cloud
Hail: a form of precipitation that is chunks of ice from inside an updraft; can be very dangerous and deadly
Tornadoes: rapidly rotating vortices that come to the ground during storms; determined by wind speed
Flash Floods: heavy rainfall in a short amount of time; water builds up too quickly before it can soak into the ground
Downbursts: powerful winds formed when high air pressure systems sink down
Storm Asthma: asthma attack directly caused by a thunderstorm; pollen absorbs moisture until it bursts into many particles

Thunderstorm Description

Thunderstorms happen in a cumulonimbus cloud; very tall and dark
Can form and develop in almost any location
Can move with the flow of the wind in the troposphere
16 million thunderstorms occur worldwide each year; 100,000 in the United States with at least 10% reaching severe levels

Thunderstorm Formation

Three ingredients needed: moisture, unstable air, and a lifting force (heat)
Sun heats the surface of the earth, which warms the air above it
Warm air rises, mixes into the atmosphere, and cools; water vapor condenses and builds into a cumulus cloud

Thunderstorm Life Cycle

Developing Stage: cumulus cloud grows in height with occasional lightning but little to no precipitation
Mature Stage: precipitation begins to fall, creating a downdraft; heavy rain, hail, lightning, and tornadoes occur
Dissipating Stage: front forces the storm to break up; precipitation decreases as the storm moves out of the area

Description

Test your knowledge about thunderstorms, their formation, development, and characteristics. Learn about the differences between thunderstorms and other types of storms. Get ready to storm into this quiz!