THUNDERSTORMS

Thunderstorms is a violent type of weather

disturbance associated with thousands of
meters tall cumulonimbus clouds and which
usually involves lightning and thunder,
strong winds, intense rainfall and
occasionally tornadoes and hail.
Thunderstorms often occur in the equatorial
regions. These can occur at any time of the
day, but happen mostly in the afternoon or
even during summer. This is because the
certain atmospheric conditions which favor
the formation of a thunderstorm are related
to maximum daytime heating.
THREE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
FORMATION OF THUNDERSTORM
* Moisture (water vapor) which must be readily
available in the lower atmosphere to produce
clouds and precipitation during storm formation
* An unstable, rapidly rising mass of warm air
* A strong upward current of air (updraft) to force
moisture to higher, colder levels of the
atmosphere
THUNDERSTORM LIFE CYCLE

DEVELOPING OR CUMULUS STAGE-

begins with the upward growth of a cumulus
cloud due to the continuous updraft and
supply of moisture.
MATURE STAGE- is indicated by the
initiation of strong downward current of air
(downdraft) and by the precipitation.
FINAL OF DISSIPITATING STAGE- is
when the updrafts are prevented by the cool
air of the dominant downdrafts in the lower
portions of the cloud.
LIGHTNING
- is the abrupt, natural, visible high-voltage
electrical discharge which takes place when
positive and negative charges join within a
cloud, between clouds or between a cloud and
the ground. It gives off a flash that last a few
tenths of a second and always followed by the
thunder. This is because thunder is the acoustic
effect of sudden expansion of air caused by the
heat released during a lightning strike.
LIGHTNING STRIKES- if lightning hits an
object on the ground.
CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING- is a
more accurate term than just “lightning” when
referring to the most dangerous type of
lightning.
EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING STRIKE TO
HUMANS
1 . Lightning strike could directly cause harm to
people contact between the main lightning
channel or its branches and person’s body or
a conductor the person is touching. The high-
voltage electric shock can cause severe
external and internal burns, exposure of flesh
and bones, damage to organs, and damage to
the nervous system. In worst cases, it may
result electrocution.
2. Lightning strike could also directly cause
either blunt force trauma to a person thrown by
a shock wave or hearing damage due to
thunder or electrical interferences to gadgets
they are using like phones, headphones, and
hearing aids.
3. It may also cause injuries or casualties
through secondary effects like explosions and
fire.
 LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES
The most important thing to keep in mind during a
thunderstorm is to stay indoors. If at school during
thunderstorm, do not leave the classroom or the
school building until the thunderstorm has fully
ended. Sight of the sunshine or clear blue skies
does not necessarily mean you are already far
from harm’s way. It is usually safe to go outdoors
only after at least 30 minutes upon hearing the last
thunder roar.
Danger Indoors. While inside a building avoid
staying nearby and watching the lightning through
windows or glass portions of door. Lightning strike
could shatter glass during thunderstorm and can
cause serious injuries.
Contact should be avoided with any anything which
could conduct electricity like electrical appliances,
light switches, electric sockets, and faucets, pipes,
shower head, mobile phones, telephones, concrete
wall, and floors (which most likely to contain metal
reinforcements.
Danger Outdoors. In case you are caught walking
outdoors during a thunderstorm, there are few things
you can do to keep safe. When seeking shelter, avoid
open vehicles and small unenclosed structures steel
waiting sheds and wooden huts. The merit of staying
in a large enclosed structures which contains
plumbing and wiring system is it provides
mechanism for electric charge to be grounded (just
do not make the mistake of touching these!) Using an
umbrella can only attract lightning if it makes you
stand out as the tallest feature in a certain area.
 EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING sON
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
INFRASTRUCTURE -Lightning strikes
produce acid rain which can cause deterioration
of buildings and other types of infrastructures
built by materials like concrete. Acid reacts with
the calcium hydroxide portion of the cement,
removes it from the cement, and weakens the
structure. Lightning strikes may also cause fires
when it hits wood or any other flammable
building materials of structures like houses.
TECHNOLOGY - Overhead power and
telephone cables, satellite dishes, and antennas
may be hit by lightning strikes. This could result
in power surges which may flow through the
electricity outlets, phone jacks, or coaxial cables
and can damage various delicate electronic
appliances like televisions and stereos; devices
like mobile phones and tablets which are being
charged; and telecommunication devices such as
telephones, fax machines, moderns and
computers.
EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING STRIKES TO
THE ENVIRONMENT.

Trees and forest and fires. Lightning strike

that hits forest with a lot of readily available
flammable material (organic litter) during a
thunderstorm with a little precipitation is a
perfect recipe for the occurrence of
wildfires.
 HAIL
HAIL - is a type of precipitation.
HAILSTONE – is the individual piece of
layered, rounded or irregularly-shaped ice
which is occasionally produced during
thunder
storm.
HAILSTORM - When a thunderstorm
produces hail.
 HAIL FORMATION
Hailstones are formed when a high amount of moist
warm air ascends very quickly into thunderstorm
clouds with a large proportion well above the
freezing level (altitude of 0 C temperature). The
water droplets from the condensation reach the
freezing level so fast and are almost instantaneously
frozen. The tiny ice crystals which are initially
formed, drift up and down repeatedly due to strong
upward current air and accumulate more ice until
such point that the weight of the ice crystals
surpasses the force exerted by upward air currents.
 FACTORS FAVORING HAIL
Hail formation is not as common in the
Philippines as it in mid-latitude continental
regions, despite the fact that thunderstorms
occur more frequently in tropical regions.
This is because the atmosphere in tropical
regions can be very warm even in high
altitudes.
 TORNADOES AND
WATERSPOUTS

TORNADOES – are narrow, funnel or

cylindrical shaped, and the intensely rotating
columns of wind that form during powerful
thunderstorms and extend from the base of a
cumulonimbus cloud down to earth’s
surface.
WATERSPOUTS - are basically the same
as tornadoes, the only difference is that the
rotating column of wind moves over a body
of water.
Most tornadoes or waterspouts are spawned by
thunderstorms, when warm, moist wind cool, dry winds
coming from different directions with different speeds
meet, instability occurs in the lower atmosphere. When
the wind direction changes and wind speed increases
with increasing height, an invisible, horizontal spinning
effect takes place in the lower atmosphere. An updraft
supplying more warm and moist air to the thunderstorm
causes horizontally spinning air wind to tilt and
eventually stand vertically. At this stage, a tornado has
already formed and is ready to destroy anything that
comes in its way.
 SAFETY TIPS
According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration) during a tornado, the most important
thing to keep in mind to survive or avoid getting hurt is
the phrase “Get in, Get down and Cover up!”

“Get in” means if you are outdoors, you should

immediately seek shelter in a sturdy house or building.
When you are inside already, it is advisable to go into the
innermost portion of the structure, to surround yourself
with as much shield as possible.
“Get down” means to go to the lowest level of the
structure. If there is basement, this would be a good place
to hide in. If there is no basement, at least go to the
lowest storey possible.

“Cover Up” means to protect yourself from debris that

may possibly fall of fly by and hit you. Getting hit by
debris is the most common cause of death during
tornado. You can use pillows, thick blankets, thick coats,
helmets, and anything that could protect your entire
body.
 DOWNBURST
Downburst are relatively small, localized
sources of violently descending strong
winds (and perception) that travel along
straight-line paths during thunderstorms.
Winds of downburst can reach as fast as 240
kph, but only last for a couple of minutes,
When these reach the ground, these spread
out very destructive horizontal winds which
travel along a straight path.