Thunderstorms Flashcards
Ordinary cell thunderstorm
Thunderstorm produced by local convection with the conditionally unstable air mass. It often forms in a region of lower windshear and does not reach the intensity of a severe thunderstorm.
What is a macroburst?
A strong downburst greater than 4 km across
What happens in the second stage of a single cell thunderstorm
Severe weather is at its maximum
What is a multicell thunderstorm?
Under storms that contain a number of cells each in a different stage of development
What is a mesocyclone?
Rotating column of air on the southside of the storm
What is the third stage of a single cell thunderstorm?
Dissipating stage
What is the second stage of a single cell thunderstorm?
Mature stage
Where are multicell thunderstorms likely to form?
Region of moderate to strong vertical wind speed shear
Outflow boundary
A surface boundary separating cooler, more dense air from warmer less dense air.
__ second delay = 1 mile
5
A thunderstorm typically begins with ______, ______ air rising in the conditionally _______ environment
Warm, moist, unstable
What is lightning?
Able to electricity fired from a thunderstorm
Gust front
When Cold downdraft reaches Earth surface it pushes outward in all directions
Single ordinary thunderstorm may go through it’s three stages in ___ hour or less
1
What three things are needed to form a thunderstorm?
Moist surface air, a conditionally unstable atmosphere, a trigger that forces the air to rise
What is a downburst?
A severe localized downdraft that can be experienced beneath a severe thunderstorm
What is a mesoscale convective complex?
Or thunderstorms merged together
Severe thunderstorms are defined as storms that produce at least one of the following 3 things:
Large hail, surface winds of 50 knots, or a tornado
Happens in the third stage of a single cell thunderstorm?
Updraft weekend and storm runs out of energy
What is a squall line thunderstorm?
Multi celled thunderstorms that form a line along a front
Under storms are ______ storms that form with _______ air
Convective, rising
What is a microburst?
A strong localize downdraft less than 4 km wide that occurs beneath thunderstorms
How large is the mesocyclone?
5 to 10 km across
What happens in the first stage of a single cell thunderstorm?
A towering cumulus develops
What is thunder?
Shockwave heard from the lightning
How is an outflow boundary formed?
By the horizontal spreading of cool air that originated inside a thunderstorm
Straight-line winds
Highwinds behind a strong gust front
Where are squall lines likely to form?
Directly along a cold front
First stage of a single cell thunderstorm?
Growth/initial stage, cumulus stage
