Table of Contents
How does a thunder storm happen?
Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises into cold air. The warm air becomes cooler, which causes moisture, called water vapor, to form small water droplets – a process called condensation. If this happens with large amounts of air and moisture, a thunderstorm can form.
What is the main cause of lightning?
Lightning is an electrical discharge caused by imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or within the clouds themselves. Most lightning occurs within the clouds. This heat causes surrounding air to rapidly expand and vibrate, which creates the pealing thunder we hear a short time after seeing a lightning flash.
How thunder lightning is formed?
Lightning is a discharge of electricity. A single stroke of lightning can heat the air around it to 30,000°C (54,000°F)! This extreme heating causes the air to expand explosively fast. The expansion creates a shock wave that turns into a booming sound wave, known as thunder.
Does thunder come before lightning?
A person on the ground sees the lightning flash before hearing the thunder because light at a speed of around 300,000,000 meters per second travels much faster than sound which moves at 340 meters per second. Lightning always comes with thunder.
Why do thunderstorms happen at night?
Thunderstorms that form at night occur in the absence of heating at the ground by the sun. Consequently, the storms that form at night are usually “elevated,” meaning that they form aloft above the cooler air near the ground, rather than near the ground, which only during the day can get warmer.
What are the 4 types of lightning?
Types of Lightning
- Cloud-to-Ground (CG) Lightning.
- Negative Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (-CG)
- Positive Cloud-to-Ground Lightning (+CG)
- Cloud-to-Air (CA) Lightning.
- Ground-to-Cloud (GC) Lightning.
- Intracloud (IC) Lightning.
What are the 3 stages of thunderstorms?
Thunderstorms have three stages in their life cycle: The developing stage, the mature stage, and the dissipating stage. The developing stage of a thunderstorm is marked by a cumulus cloud that is being pushed upward by a rising column of air (updraft).
What causes thunder without lightning?
No, it is not possible to have thunder without lightning. Thunder starts as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away. Thunder is caused by lightning.
How do you sleep in thunder?
To get to sleep you will need to drown out the crashing thunder. One method is to use earplugs. You can buy these at any pharmacy in a variety of kinds, including foam, cotton, or wax. If you don’t find ear plugs comfortable enough to fall asleep, try listening to soothing music or even a white noise machine.
How does thunder effect the environment?
Thunderstorms have a huge impact on our environment. One of the most dangerous outcomes for the environment is when lightning causes sparks to flare up in surrounding forests or immense shrubs. This is often the cause of bush fires, which then spread quickly due to the fast winds that accompanies the storm.
How do they predict Thunder?
Computer forecast models. Meteorologists often rely on massive computer programs called numerical weather prediction models to help them decide if conditions will be right for the development of thunderstorms.
Can Thunder can occur without lightning?
No , it is not possible to have thunder without lightning. Thunder starts as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away.
What are the consequences of Thunder?
Consequences. The shock wave in thunder is sufficient to cause property damage and injury, such as internal contusion, to individuals nearby. Thunder can rupture the eardrums of people nearby, leading to permanently impaired hearing. Even if not, it can lead to temporary deafness.