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The nature of storms

Chapter 13.1. The nature of storms. Thunderstorms. Abundant source of moisture and latent heat that maintains warmth and upward motion The air must lift and condense, releasing the latent heat The atmosphere must become unstable. Thunderstorm Frequency. Air-mass Thunderstorms.

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The nature of storms

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  1. Chapter 13.1 The nature of storms

  2. Thunderstorms • Abundant source of moisture and latent heat that maintains warmth and upward motion • The air must lift and condense, releasing the latent heat • The atmosphere must become unstable

  3. Thunderstorm Frequency

  4. Air-mass Thunderstorms • Caused by unequal heating of the Earth’s surface • Most common in the afternoons

  5. Frontal Thunderstorms • Caused by converging warm and cold air masses • More frequent during an advancing cold front

  6. Stages of a Thunderstorm

  7. Chapter 13.2 Severe weather

  8. Severe Thunderstorms • Cold fronts • Low pressure systems • Supercells- powerful self-sustaining storms characterized by intense updrafts

  9. Lightning • Atmospheric discharge of electric current • Heats surrounding air to 30,000oC • This superheated air expands rapidly producing the sound we call thunder

  10. Wind • Downbursts- violent downdrafts • Macrobursts- area of 5km or more; winds of more than 200km/h • Microbursts- smaller area; deadlier; harder to predict; winds exceeding 250km/h

  11. Hail • Supercooled water freezes and collides due to strong updrafts and downdrafts • Largest hailstone on record- 7 inches wide. That’s almost the size of a soccer ball!!

  12. Floods • Rising water due to precipitation • Flash floods- runoff occurring over a short amount of time

  13. Tornadoes • Violent, rotating column of air that contacts the ground

  14. Tornado Distribution

  15. Tornado Safety

  16. Chapter 13.3 Tropical Storms

  17. Tropical Cyclones • Large, rotating, low-pressure storms

  18. Formation of Hurricanes

  19. Classifying Hurricanes

  20. Hurricane Hazards • Storm surges are caused by hurricane-force winds driving water up and inland

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