Studied by 3 people
Where do thunderstorms most commonly occur?
tropical places where there is abundant sunshine and moisture
What time of day do thunderstorms normally happen?
late afternoons in the summer
What region do thunderstorms mostly occur in?
regions with convergent winds and lifting like mountains or an land and sea boundary
How long do thunderstorms normally last?
half hour to an hour
What is the most common type of thunderstorm?
air-mass thunderstorm
Where do air mass thunderstorms occur and how long do they last?
locally and short lengths of times
When do cumulus clouds form?
when the warm air mass rises high enough that it cools to its dew point and water vapor condenses
How is the energy source due to heat released?
through condensation
When does rain happen?
when the mass of water/ice is too heavy for the updrafts to support
What does falling rain create?
downdrafts
What conditions must a thunderstorm meet to be considered severe?
wind >50 knots (58 mph) hail 1 inch or larger in diameter tornado
What do air masses do in a severe thunderstorm?
air masses collide and advancing front of cold air lifts the warm air
What is the most severe type of severe thunderstorm?
supercell
What is a supercell thunderstorm?
huge updraft of air that move laterally
What happens in a supercell?
they pick up fuel (warm, moist air) in the front and then dump the exhaust (cool, dry air) behind
How big can supercells get?
12-30 miles
How long do supercells last?
several hours
What does the rotation of the updraft create?
a vortex which is how tornadoes are formed
What part of the US do thunderstorms mostly affect?
the central and southern US
How big can a severe thunderstorm get?
60-600 mile long zone
Note 
Flashcard (92)