THUNDERSTORM
WHAT IS THUNDERSTORM?
- These are strong local storms.
- These are more common on the ground, where temperatures are high.
- These include thunder and lighting, as well as strong rain or hail.
HOW DOES A THUNDERSTORM FORM?
- Most of the Thunderstorms have three stages:
- Cumulus stage
- Mature stage
- Dissipating stage.
WHAT IS CUMULUS STAGE?
- In the daytime, due to insolation, the ground is heated.
- Due to the lifting of air, a low pressure generates.
- Air from the surrounding area starts to fill the void of the low pressure.
- Cumulonimbus cloud forms due to the convection of wet and hot air.
WHAT IS MATURE STAGE?
- Rising warm air causes the clouds to grow and rise.
- Cool air and rain bring down to earth.
- The incoming of thunderstorm is indicated by violent gust of wind.
- Most of the time, the path is erratic.
WHAT IS DISSIPATING STAGE?
- It happens after duration of 30 minutes.
- Hails form when clouds reach at below freezing temperatures and they fall as hailstorms.
- The storm vanishes in minutes.
WHAT ARE TYPES OF THUNDERSTORMS?
- Convectional: Caused due to intense heating of ground during summer.
- Frontal: When it passes over a mountain barrier causes heavy precipitation on the windward side.
- Orographic: Occurs along cold fronts.
MOTION OF A THUNDERSTORM
- The speed of isolated storms is about 20 km per hour, but some storms move little faster.
- In extreme circumstances, a storm may move 65 to 80 km /hour.