15: Thunderstorm Hazards
- Page ID
- 9630
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The basics of thunderstorms were covered in the previous chapter. Here we cover thunderstorm hazards:
- hail and heavy rain,
- downbursts and gust fronts,
- lightning and thunder
- tornadoes and mesocyclones.
Two other hazards were covered in the previous chapter: turbulence and vigorous updrafts.
In spite of their danger, thunderstorms can also produce the large-diameter rain drops that enable beautiful rainbows (Fig. 15.1).
- 15.1: Precipitation and Hail
- This page covers thunderstorms, emphasizing their intense rainfall, microphysics, and the phenomenon of cloudbursts. It discusses the temperature effects of humid air inflow and the relationship between storm characteristics and local moisture depletion, impacting future thunderstorm occurrence.
- 15.2: Gust Fronts and Downbursts
- This page covers downbursts, strong downdrafts linked to storms, and their impacts, including damage similar to weak tornadoes. It discusses factors contributing to downbursts, such as droplet evaporation and DCAPE's role in estimating downburst strength. Detailed calculations for downburst speed and gust-front advancement highlight the complexities involved in predicting their behavior.
- 15.3: Lightning and Thunder
- This page provides a comprehensive overview of lightning, detailing its formation, types, and effects on the environment. It explains the electrification processes in thunderstorms, the dangers of lightning strikes, and safety measures. The relationship between lightning and thunder is addressed, including sound wave behavior and calculations for estimating distances from strikes.
- 15.4: Tornadoes
- This page covers the formation, characteristics, and assessment of tornadoes, including the Enhanced Fujita and TORRO scales for measuring intensity and damage. It describes various tornado types, their evolutionary stages, and tornado outbreaks driven by supercell thunderstorms. Concepts like storm-relative helicity and the Energy Helicity Index are discussed for forecasting tornado potential, along with the impacts of suction vortices on damage patterns.
- 15.5: Review
- This page discusses supercell thunderstorms and their association with severe weather phenomena such as tornadoes, downbursts, hail, and lightning. It explains that larger hail is produced by strong updrafts linked to CAPE, and how precipitation interacting with dry air enhances downdraft winds. The page also describes lightning formation and thunder, as well as the role of horizontal wind shear in creating mesocyclones and tornadoes.
- 15.6: Homework Exercises
- This page offers an extensive exploration of meteorological concepts, emphasizing severe weather phenomena like tornadoes and thunderstorms. It includes guided exercises on atmospheric physics, calculations of storm-relative helicity, and mathematical principles related to atmospheric dynamics. The effects of weather on aviation safety and the risks associated with severe events are analyzed, alongside scales for classifying storms, such as the Beaufort and TORRO scales.