Thunderstorms and Lightning

The duration of thunder and lightning during a storm can vary. Thunder typically only lasts for a few seconds, while lightning flashes last for a fraction of a second. The entire storm system can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on its intensity and movement.

The original F or Fujita scale rates tornadoes from F0 to F5 based on the severity of damage and gives each tornado an estimated range of windspeeds based on this.

The EF or Enhanced Fuijta scale examines damage in more detail. Engineers and meteorologists look at the damage and determine the tornado's peak wind speed and use that to get the rating.

For example, if damage indicates a tornado had 120 mph winds at its strongest, it is rated EF2, with winds ranging from 111 to 135 mph

The wind estimates for the categories have been adjusted for the new scale, here is a comparison of the old and new. Keep in mind that even though the wind estimates for each category have changed the damage for those categories remains essentiall the same

F0 40-72 mph EF0 65-85 mph

F1 73-112 mph EF1 86-110 mph

F2 113-157 mph EF2 111-135 mph

F3 158-206 mph EF3 136-165 mph

F4 207-260 mph EF4 166-200 mph

F5 261-318 mph EF5 over 200 mph

If you hear thunder or see lightning in the distance & you are outdoors, you should really move into a sturdy shelter ASAP. If no house or building is available, then you need to move quickly into a car. DO NOT stand under tree's or stand in an open field. Lightning is attracted by water, metal, and high objects. You should also lookout for dark, stormy clouds moving into the area because that is definitely a sign of an approaching storm. You should also turn on an AM/FM radio, NOAA Weather Radio, or your local TV news network for updates on your local weather. DO NOT take a bath or shower during a storm (Water attracts water, like I said above).

Yes, unstable air is necessary for a thunderstorm to develop. Unstable air is characterized by a rapid decrease in temperature with height, creating buoyant conditions that promote the rapid upward movement of air and the formation of thunderstorms.

Allow ample room in front of you to avoid short stops & if braking suddenly pull right to shoulder or lane change & might avoid potential problem. If you go slow enough, you can also get him/her off your tail.

Cloud-to-cloud lightning is commonly referred to as intracloud lightning because it occurs entirely within the same cloud without reaching the ground.

Nothing attracts lightning, unless the lightning can get to the ground easier

through that thing than it can through the air.

A magnet doesn't attract lightning unless it's stuck in the ground, wired to the ground,

or held by a nice moist squishy human being who's standing on the ground.

The same goes for any piece of metal, whether or not it's a magnet.

A mesocyclone is a vortex inside of a supercell thunderstorm, which is what can produce funnel clouds and tornadoes. You can see a mesocyclonic thunderstorm on radar by looking for a "Hook Echo" which is a comma shaped area of the storm

Meteorologists use weather data such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, and wind patterns to forecast thunderstorm formation. They also utilize computer models that simulate atmospheric conditions to predict where and when thunderstorms may develop. Monitoring the movement of weather systems and paying attention to atmospheric instability are key factors in predicting thunderstorms.

A lightning bolt is hotter than the sun in a small area due to the rapid discharge of electrical energy, which results in the localized heating of the air. However, the total energy output of the sun is much higher and its overall temperature is significantly hotter than a lightning bolt.

When a cactus gets struck by lightning, it can cause damage to the outer layer of the cactus, including scorch marks and burns. The cactus may also experience internal damage, causing parts of it to die off. In some cases, the cactus may be able to recover from the lightning strike, but it can leave lasting effects on the plant's growth and appearance.

Yes, there is still a danger from lightning even if it is not raining. Lightning can strike several miles away from a thunderstorm and can occur in clear skies. It is important to take precautions such as seeking shelter indoors during a storm to avoid being struck by lightning.

moist and warm, causing water vapor to condense and form clouds. The intense upward motion of air within a hurricane also helps in the rapid formation of clouds.

To find the miles to the lightning, you can count the number of seconds between seeing the flash and hearing the thunder (time interval). Divide this number by 5 to get the distance in miles, as sound travels at about 1 mile every 5 seconds.

Clouds produce precipitation when the water droplets or ice crystals within the cloud grow to a size that they can no longer be supported by the air currents, causing them to fall to the ground. This occurs when the droplets or crystals collide and combine or when they become heavy enough to overcome the updrafts within the cloud.

Yes, lightning can occur in severe snowstorms and especially intense lake effect snow bands. Thunderstorms form from intense convection, which can be generated in the strongest of snow storms. Snowfall that accompanies these storms is some of the most intense on earth.

A light that is 10 m away appears 81 times brighter because brightness decreases by the square of the distance. This is calculated using the inverse square law, which states that intensity or brightness is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.

Yes, lightning can occur in Hawaii, especially during thunderstorms. However, compared to other regions, Hawaii experiences fewer thunderstorms and lightning strikes each year due to its tropical climate and location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Hail stones are formed when updrafts in a storm repeatedly carry water droplets to the freezing level in the atmosphere, where they freeze and grow in size before falling to the ground. The stones fall when they become too heavy for the updrafts to keep them suspended in the air.

I'm not positive but when I was hiking and almost got struck, I heard clicking in my ears and a tingling sensation throughout my body and the hair on body started to stand up.... it kind of felt as if I was touching a weak electric fence.

Electricity by itself is fairly clean; but whatever process is used to generate the electricity may cause pollution. You simply don't get electricity out of nothing, you need to convert some other type of energy to electricity.

To minimize risk of injury, here are some things you can do. Do NOT - I repeat, do NOT - use a phone with a cord or work/play outside during a lightning storm. Turn off unnecessary lights, as there is always risk of being electrocuted. Use any cordless appliances available, like cell phones and battery powered radios. don't go into pools outside. lightning is atracted to water

In the United States most severe weather watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Warnings are usually issued by the local National Weather Service offices of the area affected. Hurricane watches and warnings are issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

Winter storms typically occur in the colder months, usually during the winter season. They are caused by a combination of cold air, moisture, and atmospheric disturbances, resulting in snow, ice, or freezing rain. Winter storms can vary in intensity and duration, affecting regions differently based on geographic location and weather patterns.

sound travels at 334 metres per second, so 3.34 kilometres away