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Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms. Thunderstorms: Some Key Facts. Produced by cumulonimbus clouds and are accompanied by lightning and thunder. Occurs when the atmosphere becomes unstable—when a vertically displaced air parcel becomes buoyant and rises on its own.

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Thunderstorms

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  1. Thunderstorms

  2. Thunderstorms: Some Key Facts • Produced by cumulonimbus clouds and are accompanied by lightning and thunder. • Occurs when the atmosphere becomes unstable—when a vertically displaced air parcel becomes buoyant and rises on its own. • The ideal conditions include warm, moist air near the surface and a large change in temperature with height (large lapse rate)

  3. Thunderstorm Amazing Facts • Some can extend as high as 40,000-65,000 ft! • The are capable of releases tremendous amounts of energy (equivalent to several hydrogen bombs) • Some are associated with tornados, heavy rain, and hail. • Some of winds gusting to over 100 mph!

  4. Types of Thunderstorms • Air mass thunderstorms—usually harmless and short-lived (less than an hour). The kind we get here! • Severe thunderstorms – can last for hours and can become very strong. Associated with strong winds, tornadoes and hail. Examples include: supercell storms and squall lines. We rarely get these!

  5. The Life Cycle of Air Mass Thunderstorms • We understood very little about the inside of thunderstorms before the famous Thunderstorm Project of the late 1940s when armored aircraft (P-61) were flown in thunderstorms in Ohio and Florida.

  6. M P-61 Squadron Hail Damage!

  7. Single Cell Air Mass Thunderstorm Fig. 10-1, p. 265

  8. Air Mass thunderstorms are SUICIDAL. The cool downdraft kills the updraft…that is why they don’t live long enough to become severe.

  9. Major Thunderstorm Structures updraft Cirrus Anvil, Gust Front, Updraft, Downdraft

  10. Roll or Arcus Cloud

  11. Air Mass Thunderstorms • Can have several cells at various stages in their life cycle • Updrafts of 2-20 knots • Cells generally 3-6 miles across Radar Image of Air Mass Thunderstorm

  12. Thunderstorms on the Cascades

  13. Severe Thunderstorms

  14. Supercell Thunderstorm

  15. Squall Line

  16. Northwest Tornadoes

  17. NW F3 Tornado

  18. A Tornado Almost Took Out Bill Gates!

  19. Mean Annual Lightning Strikes

  20. Large Hail

  21. Fig. 10-CO, p. 262

  22. 12 km 0oC 32oF 320F 32oF 0oC 0oC Cold air 0 km Gust front Gust front (a) Cumulus (b) Mature (c) Dissipating Editable Text Fig. 10-1, p. 265

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