Thundersnow is a relatively rare phenomenon in which a winter thunderstorm produces precipitation in the form of snow rather than rain. The storm develops from ingredients much the same as those that create thunder and lightning in a rainstorm, but when there is cold air in the mix, rain becomes snow.
So, if it thunders in the winter it will snow?
There’s an old saying that states, “thunder in the winter brings snow in seven days.” While that’s not entirely accurate, thunder in the winter is an indication of a cold weather front. Though there’s no way to tell exactly how soon it’ll come in, the thunder is likely indicative of a dumping of snow on its way.
Does Thunder in the winter mean snow is coming?
I have heard the old folklore for years, that thunder in the winter means snow is coming. Though it appears to change depending on who tells it. Sometimes I’ve heard it as 7 days, 10 days or 14 days after thunder in the winter time that snow is coming. The general folklore though goes by 10 days from getting winter thunder you should get snow.
Old weather folklore says thunder in the winter means snow in seven to 10 days Thunder was heard in areas of NC late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning According to the State Climate Office, snow followed seven to 10 days after thunder only 13 percent of the time in North Carolina in the last several decades.
So, does thunderstorms mean snow is coming in North Carolina?
Thunder in winter does typically mean we are in an active weather pattern like we have seen this week. If cold air eventually meets up with that active weather pattern, snow could fall. However, most of the time that does not happen in North Carolina.
Does Thunder in the winter mean snow in 10 days?
We have heard thunder twice now in 2021. The first time was January 26th. The second time was today, February 11th. According to the old wives’ tale, expect measurable snow in the next 10 days! Not so fast!
So, does it snow within 10 days of hearing thunder?
I found the answer was meaning in the last 5 years, only 6% of the time did we had measurable snow within 10 days of hearing thunder. The truth and data of it is, it rarely snows within that window.
Why do thunderstorms cause snow in the winter?
Typically, this atmosphere will consist of cold air rushing in to displace warm air, so thunderstorms in the winter may indicate that a cold front is moving in. Whether or not that cold front will be followed by a system that produces snow can’t be accurately predicted, so it may be safer to say,.
If you think of the weather pattern that leads to thunder or thunderstorms in the winter. You usually have a strong cold front that is bringing in a colder pattern after a warm-up.
However, cold air and low-pressure systems from the north, displacing warm air and high pressure in the south, form an unstable atmosphere that can create terrific conditions for thunderstorms. Now, that means if you’re hearing thunder in the winter, it could signal that a cold front is moving in.
What is the superstition about thunderstorms in winter?
Another superstition says that if it thunders in February, it will snow in May. The number of times it thunders in January tells the number of frosts April will have. If it thunders in December, there will be especially cold weather. And likewise, when you hear thunder in the winter,.
Can We expect snow in the next 10 days?
According to the old wives’ tale, expect measurable snow in the next 10 days! Not so fast! In the last 5 Meteorological winters (winter 2017 – winter 2021) which are classified as December, January and February there have been 17 winter days with thunder, and only one of those times did we see measurable snow within 10 days.