Investigation 11: Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
- Page ID
- 44873
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Mark Twain once said, "Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work." While he was talking about pompous bluster versus quiet, efficient action, little did he know that by 2024, lightning strikes would cause 55-60 fatalities and over 400 injuries every year in the United States. Severe weather events, such as tornadoes and flooding caused by thunderstorms, result in multiple deaths and between USD 200 billion and 500 billion in damages every year, according to NOAA. A thunderstorm is a type of rain shower that typically includes thunder and lightning. They are very common across the continental United States and the world, where they are responsible for the bulk of summertime rainfall, and are often considered a normal part of life. Some people even claim that they can determine the time of day simply by knowing if a thunderstorm is present in their location. Figure 11.1 shows a thunderstorm approaching a small farmhouse in Mendoza, Argentina.
We’ll begin this investigation by examining the general ingredients for ordinary air mass thunderstorm formation, and then delve deeper into the conditions that enable thunderstorms to become truly destructive weather events. We’ll wrap up this investigation by examining the scariest hazard produced by some thunderstorms – the tornado.
By the end of this investigation, you should be able to:
- Identify the atmospheric ingredients that allow ordinary thunderstorms to form
- Identify the atmospheric ingredients that allow thunderstorms to become severe
- Rank the intensity of a Tornado by its wind speed and destruction
- 11.1: Ingredients for Thunderstorms
- The development of thunderstorms is explained. Warm, moist air rises to form clouds through an updraft, leading to precipitation and atmospheric phenomena such as lightning and thunder. It highlights the role of latent heat in sustaining the updraft and mentions the use of weather maps to indicate thunderstorms through color shadings. Additionally, other contributing factors, such as frontal lifting and vertical wind shear, alongside heat and moisture, are outlined.
- 11.2: Types of Thunderstorms
- Severe thunderstorms are discussed, including their duration and potential to cause extreme weather such as strong winds and tornadoes. It outlines the necessary conditions for their development, including heat, moisture, a lifting mechanism, and vertical wind shear. Types of shear are specified, and the National Weather Service's categorization of severe storm likelihood is noted.
- 11.3: Tornadoes
- The violent nature of tornadoes is examined, including the importance of meteorological tracking and analysis for safety. The Tornado Season and Tornado Alley in the U.S. is defined, along with the Enhanced Fujita Scale for measuring intensity. Examples include the EF-2 Fishville tornado and the EF-5 Joplin tornado, highlighting significant variations in impact, fatalities, and damage.
- 11.4: Alternative Text Descriptions for Investigation 11
- This page provides detailed text descriptions of images and charts used in Investigation 11.
Thumbnail: Lightning strikes near Port-la-Nouvelle, France. Port and lighthouse overnight storm by Maxime Raynal is licensed under CC BY 2.0