Storms

What is a storm? A violent disturbance in the atmosphere.

What is a storm? Cause rapid air movement Involves sudden changes in air pressure Cause rapid air movement Conditions that bring one kind of storm in one area often cause other kinds of storms in the same area

A thunderstorm is a small storm often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightening. A thunderstorm forms when warm, humid air rises rapidly within a cumulonimbus cloud.

Types of severe storms Thunderstorms Tornadoes Snowstorms Hurricanes

Severe Thunderstorms Torrential Downpours Strong winds at greater than 58 miles per hour Hail ¾ inch diameter (or larger) Frequent lightning

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued by National Weather Service This means that conditions are favorable for a thunderstorm Length is multiple hours.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued By Local Weather Service Means a severe storm has been spotted by doppler radar Usually lasts for only an hour

Lightning A sudden spark or energy discharge, caused when electric discharges jump between parts of a cloud, nearby clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. Because a lightening bolt can heat the air near to it close to 30,000 ̊ C, it causes the air to expand explosively. Thunder is the sound of the explosion. Since light travels faster than sound you see lightening flash then you hear thunder.

Properties of a Lightning Temperatures of over 30,000C (much hotter than Sun’s surface) Heated air expands suddenly and explosively making a sound of thunder.

Thunderstorm/Lightning Safety Stay indoors, away from doors and windows. Avoid objects that conducts electricity, such as metal objects and bodies of water. Do not seek shelter under the trees. Do not use phones with cords. Remember: Cars are pretty safe…

Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder? Because light travels much faster than sound.

Tornadoes Tornado Alley

What is a tornado? A tornado is a rapidly whirling, funnel shaped cloud that reaches down from a cloud to touch Earth’s surface.

How are tornadoes formed? Same system that produces thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Late in the day, when earth’s surface is very warm, convection (the flow of heat through a material, causing hot parts to rise and cooler parts to sink) can get very strong. This can lead to a tornado.

Tornado Watch Tornado Warning A tornado has formed. Conditions are favorable for a tornado to form Tornado Warning A tornado has formed.

Tornado Happenings 1. When the updraft in a convection cell is really strong, the air rushes in from all sides at high speeds.

Tornado Happenings 2. Air curves into a spin. This lowers the pressure even more. Air rushes in even faster, and the pressure gets even lower, and so on. Like a skater who pulls her arms in close to her sides. The tornado spins faster and faster.

Tornado Happenings 3. As the tornado gets stronger, a funnel forms that can destroy anything in it’s path. The center of the tornado can reach speeds of 500 kilometers per hour (about 300 miles per hour) or more.

Where Do Tornadoes Happen? Tornadoes happen where dry, cold air masses mix with moist, warm air masses. More tornadoes occur in the United States than in any other country, especially in the area known as TORNADO ALLEY.

Grand Island, Nebraska June 3, 1980 A Famous Tornado Grand Island, Nebraska June 3, 1980

On June 3, 1980, a series of tornadoes devastated the city of Grand Island, Nebraska. Seven tornadoes hit within a three hour period. The storm did massive damage and closed the city down for three days.

Tornadoes Alley Tornadoes Safety About 800 tornadoes every year in the United States. Tornadoes Safety The safest place to take a shelter is in a storm shelter or the basement of a well-built building. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/forces-of-nature/

What is a snowstorm? All year round, most precipitation begins in clouds as snow. If the air is colder than 0 degrees all the way to the ground, the precipitation falls as snow.

Snowstorm Safety Try to find a shelter from the wind. Cover exposed parts of your body and try to stay dry.

Hurricanes

Formation Regions

What is a hurricane? A tropical storm that has winds of about 119 kilometers per hour or higher (200 miles per hour). Storm usually doesn’t last for more than 7-10 days. As it moves inland it continues to move across the land but it begins to weaken

Map Symbols

What Does a Hurricane Need in Order to Develop? Needs warm water time to grow favorable upper level winds in the troposphere.

Typical Path

Naming System A list of names from A-W (excluding Q) Alternate from male to female 6 lists, repeated in cycle Big name storms retired, like KATRINA.

Hurricane Watch Hurricane Warning A hurricane poses a possible threat within the next 36 hours Hurricane Warning Hurricane conditions expected within 24 hours

MEMORIZE!!! The Saffir-Simpson Scale Scale developed to categorize the hurricane based on wind’s speed. MEMORIZE!!! http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale and Animations   http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge/ Storm Surge Overview and Animations

Hurricane Safety Best plan is to evacuate Plan early in advance Towns have voluntary evacuation during a watch, and some switch to mandatory during a warning. Plan early in advance

IF you choose to stay…. Board all windows Prepare Flashlights, avoid candles Stay tuned to radio Stay indoors http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/forces-of-nature/

The End