During this time of the year, thunderstorms also can cause strong winds. Rain falling from a thunderstorm evaporates underneath the cloud, cooling the air beneath it. This cold heavy air plunges to the surface and “splashes” against the ground like a bucket of cold water. The air then rushes sideways resulting in strong winds.
What causes strong winds in a thunderstorm?
Strong thunderstorm winds can come from a number of different processes. Most thunderstorm winds that cause damage at the ground are a result of outflow generated by a thunderstorm downdraft. Damaging winds are classified as those exceeding 50-60 mph.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, when lighting strikes a home or building, electricity can pass through the wiring of the home. Tornadoes are one of the most destructive forces that can be produced in a thunderstorm. Some additional items to think about are hail damage, and flood damage.
Does thunderstorms cause more turbulence?
A thunderstorm is more likely to generate turbulence at cruising altitude or trouble during the aircraft’s ascent or descent than it is to delay your takeoff or landing. However, you should avoid flying through a cloud-to-ground lightning storm.
Another frequently asked inquiry is “What causes turbulence in thunderstorms?”.
Convective currents are often strong enough to produce air mass thunderstorms with which severe turbulence is associated. Turbulence can also be expected in the lower levels of a cold air mass that is moving over a warm surface. Heating from below creates unstable conditions, gusty winds and bumpy flying conditions.
What type of damage can a thunder storm cause?
Under the right conditions, rainfall from thunderstorms causes flash flooding, killing more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes or lightning. Lightning is responsible for many fires around the world each year, and causes fatalities.
Thunderstorms and your healthAsthma. Reports of thunderstorm-related asthma go back to 1985 to a report in The Lancet about a sudden spike in asthma patients in Birmingham, England, after a July thunderstorm., and collapsed lungs. A lung collapses when air gets into the space between the lungs and chest wall and pushes on the lung so it loses its shape., and sleep apnea.
What are the characteristics of a thunderstorm?
It is a storm associated with the presence of lightning, thunder, formation of dense clouds, heavy rain, and strong gusty winds. Thunderstorms sometimes turn to dangerous storms possessing lightning, powerful winds, hail, and may lead to floods and tornadoes.
You may be thinking “What happens in a big thunderstorm cloud?”
You see, in a big thunderstorm cloud, there are now strong upward winds and downward winds happening at the same time. These are called updrafts and downdrafts. This is the most dangerous stage of the storm, when tornadoes, hail, winds and flooding can happen.
How dangerous is a thunderstorm to an airplane?
TURBULENCE AND THUNDERSTORMS Turbulence, associated with thunderstorms, can be extremely hazardous, having the potential to cause overstressing of the aircraft or loss of control. Thunderstorm vertical currents may be strong enough to displace an aircraft up or down vertically as much as.
What is the relationship between wind speed and turbulence?
When the change in wind speed and direction is pronounced, quite severe turbulence can be expected. Clear air turbulence is associated at high altitudes (i. e, above 15,000 feet AGL) with the jet stream. Temperature inversions are zones with vertical wind shear potential.
What is turbulence?
This turbulence is most marked when the warm air is moist and unstable and will be extremely severe if thunderstorms develop. Turbulence is more commonly associated with cold fronts but can be present, to a lesser degree, in a warm front as well.