Thunderstorm, a violent, short-lived climate disturbance that is nearly always associated with lightning, thunder, dense clouds, heavy rain or hail, and sturdy, gusty winds. Thunderstorms stand up when layers of warm, moist air rise in a massive, quick updraft to cooler areas of the surroundings. There the moisture contained in the updraft condenses to shape towering cumulonimbus clouds and, in the end, precipitation. Columns of cooled air then sink earthward, putting the floor with strong downdrafts and horizontal winds. At the same time, electric costs collect on cloud particles (water droplets and ice). Lightning discharges arise when the accrued electric charge becomes sufficiently huge. Lightning heats the air it passes thru so intensely and speedy that shock waves are produced; those shock waves are heard as claps and rolls of thunder. On occasion, extreme thunderstorms are accompanied via swirling vortices of air that end up concentrated and effective enough to shape tornadoes.
Thunderstorm, a violent, short-lived climate disturbance that is nearly always associated with lightning, thunder, dense clouds, heavy rain or hail, and sturdy, gusty winds. Thunderstorms stand up when layers of warm, moist air rise in a massive, quick updraft to cooler areas of the surroundings.