Severe Weather

What fronts create thunderstorms?

Cold fronts

How is lightning created?

Friction between the cloud and the atmosphere

What types of weather come with thunderstorms?

Rain, hail, and lightning

What is the decisive factor for how big the storm is?

How warm the air is

What is hail?

Frozen water

How is hail formed?

Water below the freezing level in the cloud circulates in convection currents, forming hail as it accumulates and freezes.

What is a tornado?

A violent whirling wind that moves in a narrow path over land

How is a tornado formed?

From a powerful cold front, windshear, a rotating column of air parallel to the ground, and a strong updraft.

Which country has the most tornadoes?

USA

What scale is used to measure the strength of a tornado?

The Fujita Scale

What is a hurricane?

The most powerful storm on the planet, a huge low pressure system that forms in warm waters.

Why do hurricanes rain over land and not water?

When it hits land, it cools and drops all its water.

How fast can the winds of a hurricane go?

75 mph to over 160 mph

How low can the air pressure of a hurricane be?

As low as 26 in.

What is the difference between hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones?

The location where the storm occurs.

What is a blizzard?

Lots of snow and low visibility

What are the criteria of a blizzard?

Visibility less than a football field, wind greater than 35 mph, and lasts longer than 3 hours.