Thunderstorms

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Thunderstorms
By Harriet Jones, Buddy Masiello, Carlyle Klein
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What is a thunderstorm?

• A thunderstorm is also know as a electrical storm
  or a lightning storm.
• They are the most powerful storm in the
  atmosphere.
• They are usually accompanied by downpour of rain.

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How are thunderstorms produced?

• As air begins to rise it cools down and
  condensation begins. This happens until
  cumulonimbus clouds begin to form which support
  thunder and lightening.
• This can take from twenty minutes to several
  hours to occur.

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How is lightning produced?

• Lightning is a electrical discharge that occurs
  during thunderstorms.
• Lightning occurs when electrical charge is built
  up inside a cloud

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What is thunder?

• Thunder is the sound given off, by the explosive
  expansion of air that is heated by a lightning
  stroke.

• Lightning is related to thunderstorms because
  lightning is produced by electrical charge which
  is built up inside a thunder cloud.

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How are thunderstorms and thunder related?

• Thunderstorms and thunder both use warm air to
  produce themselves.

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Where and when do thunderstorms occur?

• In the US thunderstorms usually happen in the
  late spring or summer. The south of the US has
  the greatest amount of thunderstorms each year.
• 100,000 thunderstorms occur each year
• The Midwest and great plains regions average
  between forty and sixty days each year

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Why are thunderstorms considered severe weather?

• Severe thunderstorms are classified as severe
  weather if they reach a pre determined level of
  severity.
• In the US a storm is considered severe if the
  winds reach over 50 knots and hail reaches three
  quarters of a inch in size.

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Thunderstorm Facts

• Lightning is equivalent to the power off 100
  million light bulbs in your face
• Thunder is not only heard during thunderstorms.
  It is not uncommon to hear thunder during snow
  storms.
• Lightning does not always create thunder.
• To judge how close lightning is count the seconds
  between the flash and the thunder. Each second
  represents 300 meters.

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Marble Question
Where does a thunderstorm get its cracking
sound???