The Perils of Storm Cloud Producing Lightning
When thunder strikes, it cast its own spell: don’t show-up or you might lose your life as well.
Thunderstorm is a localized producing lighting and thunder and often brings heavy rainfall, or hail as well as strong gusty winds, and this occur nearly daily in tropical areas. Although it only affects small areas but thunderstorm are dangerous in nature. Thunderstorm is a hydro meteorological activity manifested by a Cumulonimbus clouds that are very tall, with dense rain clouds and accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Screenshot by author courtesy of DOST-X
One would know there is an impending thunderstorm when compared to a fair weather cumulus, the cumulonimbus clouds is formed that are much larger and vertically developed. Its lower level consists mostly of water droplets, while at higher elevation is dominated with ice crystals, where temperatures are well below 0 degrees Celsius.
Image Credit Cumulonimbus clouds
Other signs of an impending thunderstorm include darkening skies accompanied with flashes of lightning and gusty winds, sound of thunder, and static or a radio frequency disturbance. Thunderstorms can occur year-round and at all hours.
The Hazards Associated with Thunderstorm
Lightning and thunder – Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm while thunder is a sound wave that we hear that is caused by lightning. The reason we see lightning before we hear thunder is because light travels faster than sound!
Heavy rainfall – Rain is liquid precipitation. It is the primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world, and also being the most effective means of watering that is why rain is very much important to agriculture. But with a much larger cumulonimbus clouds, heavy rainfall occurs. Heavy rainfall is at time disastrous especially in deforested, garbage congested water outlets and low lands.
Image credit Distant rain
Tornado is another hazard associated with thunderstorm. It is a rotating cone-shaped column of air, sometimes called “twisters” that can pose danger to travelers and capable of tremendous distractions to lives and properties. Most tornadoes are formed from thunderstorm, and when it reaches the ground it is called a tornado.
Hail (Ice pellets) – Hail can occur within any thunderstorm. It can do serious damage notably to automobiles, skylights, glass-roofed structures, and most commonly, farmers’ crops. While Ice pellets only occur for brief periods and never accumulate a significant amount however, a volume of ice pellets will take significantly longer to melt compared to an equal volume of fresh snowfall.
Development of Thunderstorms
During its initial stage, a cumulus clouds is formed. The sun heats the earth’s surface and the ground warms the air above it. This is where the warm air rises and water vapor condenses to a towering cumulus clouds that sometimes could reach as high as 10 km. in height.
Mature stage is considered as stage two in the development of thunderstorm. It is during this state that the clouds cause heavy precipitation, severe lightning, strong winds, hail and at times, tornadoes. Towards the end of the mature stage is where the thunderstorm is at its strongest.
Then rainfall decreases its intensity and clouds begin to dissolve in the Dissipating stage (Stage three). Although, some thunderstorms produce a burst of strong winds during this stage lightning remains a danger during this time.
Screenshot by author courtesy of DOST-X
how to prevent the damages due to lightning
- Stay or go indoors. People who are outdoors (especially those who are under or near tall trees, in isolated sheds, or on near hilltops) are most in danger.
- Stay away from anything that conducts electricity. Don’t use any plug-in electrical appliances. Don’t use the telephone during the storm.
- Stay in your automobile if you are traveling.
- Don’t use metal objects outside. Get away from tractors and other metal farm equipment. Stay away from wire fences, clotheslines, metal pipes, rails and other metal paths
- If you are outdoors, seek shelter from lightning. If you can’t shelter, avoid the solitary tree or the tallest object in the area. Lightning tends to strike tall objects.
- Squat on the ground. Drop to your knees and bend forward putting your hands over your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible.
- When you feel the electrical charge-if your hair stands on end or your skin tingles-lightning may be about to strike you. Drop to the ground immediately.
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34 Responses to “The Perils of Storm Cloud Producing Lightning”
On June 5, 2009 at 5:33 am
Informative and well written article.
On June 5, 2009 at 5:49 am
thanks JK, I have to submit a fix for this to include those photo that are supposedly included in this post.
On June 5, 2009 at 5:57 am
good, informative piece.
Thanks,
clay
On June 5, 2009 at 6:13 am
Good one.
On June 5, 2009 at 6:54 am
Excellent article Anne very informative and very well done. well researched.
On June 5, 2009 at 8:20 am
My grandparents had lightning rods on their home after lightning had struck it back in the 1950s. According to the story, told over and over through the years, my grandparents were watching TV when lightning hit their TV antenna and then shot out of the TV–a bolt of blue light–across the room.
Nicely done, written and researched.
On June 5, 2009 at 8:47 am
Thanks for this informative article about a topic the world seems to hearing about more these days. It made me even more knowledgeable about dangerious storms. Thanks!
On June 5, 2009 at 8:59 am
Was caught in a hail storm while hiking to the Keyhole in Colorado and it was painful.
On June 5, 2009 at 10:59 am
Very informative. You have done your homework well, thanks.
On June 5, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Excellent and informative article Anne, thank you.
On June 5, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Great, informative article, Anne.
On June 5, 2009 at 5:22 pm
thanks much for this wonderfully educational post
On June 5, 2009 at 6:27 pm
I love to stand outside and watch lightning….have done since I was a kid!! Nature never ceases to amaze me! Nice article.
On June 5, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I used to love going out driving in thunder storms. That was when we lived in the country and the roads were practially empty. No more though, too dangerous.
On June 6, 2009 at 2:25 am
This is very informative and well-written piece.
On June 6, 2009 at 4:53 am
Simply another great work from Anne
On June 6, 2009 at 6:51 pm
amazing piece. well researched and presented. Thx for teaching me something today.
On June 7, 2009 at 12:00 am
Great explanation about weather.
On June 7, 2009 at 12:27 am
Excellent article!
I’ve always loved thunderstorms although definitely not tornados!
As a kid who used to play outside in the rain, I remember being told that if you hear thunder, the lightning missed you!
On June 7, 2009 at 2:47 pm
you got plans of being a weather news anchor? you`ll do good!
On June 7, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Great article. I actually love an early summer thunderstorm. It brings such a refreshing feeling to the air.
On June 8, 2009 at 12:43 am
You brought me back to a class. Thanks.
On June 10, 2009 at 12:46 am
good article, Anne – thanks for sharing
On June 10, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Excellent article on storm cloud producing lightening. I live in Florida and right now we are in that very season. I am scared, but I bear with it. Thanks for sharing this article.
On June 14, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Chockful of information. An education in weather. Well done.
On June 20, 2009 at 6:22 am
Lots of info. until now, my childhood fear of thunderstorm is never outgrown.now I know, i have bases.
On June 20, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Thanks for sharing.
On June 21, 2009 at 3:37 am
Great article, are you a weatherwoman?
On June 23, 2009 at 5:57 pm
A great education about weather. Well done.
On June 27, 2009 at 12:36 am
Excellent piece. Very informative.
On June 29, 2009 at 5:36 am
Good article, lots of factual info.
On July 4, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Great photos to go with your information.
On July 8, 2009 at 8:38 pm
This was definitely an interesting read- complimented well by your images.
Nicely done,
-Fresh Writing
On July 26, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Fastastic article, with awesome articles,
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