Transcript Slide 1

STORMS
Thunderstorms
☼a disturbance in the earth’s
atmosphere that involves lightning and
thunder; gusty winds, heavy rain, and
hail may also be present
☼form in cumulonimbus clouds
☼occur when unequal heating of earth’s
surface causes warm, humid air to rise
or when warm and cold air collide
☼can spawn funnel shaped vortexes
Tornadoes
☼occur when a funnel cloud touches
the ground
☼a rotating column of air (vortex) of
intense low pressure
☼the high pressure air outside of
vortex rushes into the funnel resulting
in damage from violent winds and
flying debris
Hurricanes:
☼ A massive rotating storm that starts over tropical
oceans
☼ has sustained winds of more than 119 kmh
☼ can affect an area 550 km in diameter
☼ lasts for days/weeks
☼ called a typhoon or cyclone depending on where it is
located
☼ center is called the “eye” where there is low winds, no
rain, low pressure and a bright sky
☼ around “eye” is eye wall with spiraling clouds, heavy
rain and strong winds
☼ can make ocean waves 10 meters high