Science -- Severe Weather

Q: What causes thunderstorms to form?

A: Warm air rises rapidly, ice particles collide building electrical charge, positive charges move to the top of the cloud and negative charges to the bottom, leading to lightning and thunder.

Q: How does thunder occur in a thunderstorm?

A: Thunder happens due to the rapid heating of air around a lightning bolt.

Q: What defines a blizzard?

A: A blizzard is a giant snowstorm with winds of 35 mph or more, visibility less than ¼ mile, lasting three hours or longer.

Q: What is a tornado?

A: A tornado is a violent rotating column of air that touches the ground, formed when a strong updraft tilts the rotating air upward into a funnel.

Q: How do hurricanes form?

A: Hurricanes form over warm waters as warm moist air rises rapidly, causing wind to swirl around a central point creating an organized storm system.

Q: What happens to warm moist air in a hurricane?

A: It rises rapidly, allowing more air to rush in, which helps maintain the storm's circulation.

Q: What causes a heat wave?

A: Air gets trapped and continuously heated, often due to high pressure zones preventing warm air from rising.

Q: Why does warm air get trapped during a heat wave?

A: High pressure zones prevent warm air from rising into the atmosphere, causing heat to build up near the surface.

Q: What role do ice particles play in thunderstorm development?

A: Ice particles collide inside the cloud, generating electrical charges that separate into positive and negative areas.

Q: Where do positive and negative charges accumulate in a thunderstorm cloud?

A: Positive charges gather at the top, and negative charges gather at the bottom of the cloud.

Q: What triggers lightning in a thunderstorm?

A: When the electrical charge between the cloud and the ground becomes strong enough, it creates an electrical current—lightning.

Q: What wind speed qualifies a storm as a blizzard?

A: Winds must be at least 35 mph (miles per hour).

Q: How long must low visibility last for a snowstorm to be classified as a blizzard?

A: Visibility must be less than ¼ mile for at least three hours.

Q: What creates the funnel shape of a tornado?

A: A strong updraft tilts the rotating column of air vertically, forming a funnel.

Q: How do tornadoes cause damage?

A: Their violent rotating winds can uproot trees, destroy buildings, and toss debris.

Q: Where do hurricanes typically form?

A: Over warm ocean waters, usually in tropical regions.

Q: What is the “eye” of a hurricane?

A: The calm, low-pressure center of the hurricane surrounded by the most intense winds and rain.

Q: Why does warm moist air rise rapidly during hurricane formation?

A: Warm air is less dense and buoyant, causing it to rise quickly, which fuels the storm.

Q: What kind of pressure system is involved in a heat wave?

A: A high pressure system traps heat by preventing warm air from rising.

Q: What risks are associated with heat waves?

A: Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, and stress on crops and infrastructure.