The Atmosphere - Chapter 4: Thunderstorms Flashcards
In its most basic definition, what is causing a thunderstorm?
Vertical motion of warm, unstable air
What type of instability occurs during the development of a thunderstorm?
dynamic therman instability
What type of clouds are associated with thunderstorm activity?
Cumulonimbus
Where does the greatest percentage of thunderstorms occur?
The tropics
What are thunderstorms called that grow large and remain active for hours?
Severe thunderstorms
Severe thunderstorms often produce ___ or ____
lightning
hail
What do all thunderstorms require?
moist, warm air (which when lifted will release sufficient latent heat to provide the buoyancy necessary to maintain upward flight)
What shape is associated with a thunder cloud?
Anvil head
The life span of a cumulonimbus cell within a thunderstorm complex is about ____ but as storm moves, fresh supplies generate new cells
an hour
Thunder is produced by ____
lightning
Generally describe lightning
During the development of a cumulonimbus cloud, buildup is generated because of movement of precipitation within the cloud. Upper portion maintains a positive charge while lower portion maintains a negative charge but contains small positive charged pockets. Lightning strikes to discharge the cloud.
The electrical discharge of lightning rapidly heats the air and causes it to _____ creating thunder
expand explosively
What is the general rule for how close lightning is?
Sound of thunder and divide by 5 (miles)
If thunder is heard 5 seconds after lightning seen, the lightning occurred approx. ____ away
1 mile
What do we popularly call lightning not associated with thunder sounds?
Heat lightning
