Transcript Thunderstorms

STORMS
CHAPTER 3 SECTION 2
STORMS
 disturbance in the atmosphere caused by a change in
air pressure
Thunderstorms
HEAVY RAIN
STORMS
ACCOMPANIED
BY LIGHTNING
AND THUNDER.
CHARACTERISTICS
gusty winds, heavy rain, hail,
thunder, lightning
HOW THUNDERSTORMS FORM
 In thunderheads- large Cumulonimbus
clouds
 Warm, humid air is forced upwards at a
cold front. This air rises rapidly and
cools to form cumulonimbus clouds.
 Occur mostly during the spring and
summer months.
 Strong upward and downward winds
are produced called updrafts and
downdrafts. This produces bursts of
wind called wind shear, which can
cause airplane crashes/accidents.
LIGHTNING AND THUNDER
 During a thunderstorm, areas of positive
and negative electrical charges build up in
storm clouds. There are many collisions of
many small bits of ice which create an
electric charge.
 Lightning is a sudden spark, or energy
discharge, as these charges jump between
parts of a cloud, between nearby clouds, or
between a cloud and the ground.
 Lightning bolts can heat the air to as much
as degrees 30,000 degrees Celsius.
 When this air heats, it expands suddenly and
explosively. This produces a loud sound
know as thunder.
 Because light travels faster than sound, you
see lightning before you hear thunder.
THUNDERSTORM SAFETY
 Avoid touching metal objects because they
can conduct electricity into the body. and
telephones or electrical appliances
 Stay out of open areas, away from tall
objects such as trees.