 A usually brief, heavy storm that consists of rain, strong wind, lightning, and thunder

Formation: Within large Cumulonimbus, or Thunderheads Form when warm air is forced upward at a cold front Temperature: Hot, humid Afternoons in the Spring and summe r Precipitation: Heavy rainfall Sometimes hail Safety: Avoid touching metal objects Install metal lightning rods Find a low area away from trees Stay away from water

 During a thunderstorm, positive and negative electrical charges build up in the clouds.  The discharge of the electricity between clouds to cloud, could to ground, or inside a cloud is lightning.  On average 49 people die a year from lightning in US.

 A destructive, rotating, column of air that has very high wind speeds, is visible as a funnel-shape cloud, and touches the ground.

Formation: Develop in low, heavy cumulonimbus clouds When warm dry air mass and cool air mass collide Temperature: Warm humid air Spring and early summer when ground is warm Precipitation: Heavy rain and wind Safety: Listen for watches and warnings Basement level, or to the middle room on ground floor Stay away from windows Lie in a ditch

 Tornado Watch- tornadoes are possibly in your area  Tornado Warning- tornadoes have been seen in the sky or on weather radar  Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity

 A severe storm that develops over tropical oceans and has strong winds of more than 74mph.

Formation: Begins over warm water as a low pressure area, forms near the equator tropical disturbance Gets it energy from warm humid air at the ocean’s surface Temperature: Warm temperatures Precipitation: Strong winds Rain which generally causes flooding Safety: Evacuate Move into the interior room and stay away from windows

 Occur between June and November  Eye- center of a hurricane  Measured by Saffir- Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

 Different types of precipitation are formed that only occur at low temperatures.

 Blizzards=a severe snowstorm with high winds and low visibility  ice storms=a storm of freezing rain that leaves a coating of ice  large accumulations of snow.

Formation: A mass of cold air collides with a mass of warm air and forms a stationary front Temperatures: Extreme cold; below freezing temperatures (below 32F°) in the clouds and near the ground are necessary to make snow and/or ice. Precipitation: Rain Snow Freezing rain Sleet Blizzards and ice storms Safety: Stay indoors and dress warmly If you must go outside, wear layered clothing Keep dry. Change wet clothing to prevent the loss of body heat