chapter 14 thunderstorms and development
Atmospheric And Oceanic Sciences 1050 with Alrich at University of Missouri- Columbia
About this deck
By: spencer maass
Textbook:
Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment. Study Guide/Workbook
Created: 2011-12-11
Size: 50 flashcards
Views: 36
Textbook:
Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment. Study Guide/WorkbookCreated: 2011-12-11
Size: 50 flashcards
Views: 36
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ordinary-pop up- T-Storm
•Form areas of weak wind shear.
wind changes little in speed, direction or height.
Self-Extinguishing, kill themselves with cold downdraft air
last about an hr.
3 stages of an ordinary T-Strom
growth- cumulus
mature
dissipate
Latent Heat Release
water vapor turns to water drops
growth stage O-T-Storm
>Rising moist warm air parcels cool and condense the surrounding air in the CC
>if this keeps happening, CC gets taller and taller = Un-stable Atmosphere
>latent heat transfer = rain droplets
as long as updraft occurs cloud will continue to get bigger
Mature stage 0T-Storm
its a T-storm now
>has both updraft and down draft happing
this process pulls moisture into storm condenses it and then send it with the down draft as rain.
cloud is anvil shaped
decaying stage OT-storm
the updraft dies
and storm rains its self out.
multicell T-storms
Multicell storms are clusters of T-storms that form in different stages in one area
>strong winds, lasts hrs
makes:
- large hail,
- damaging winds,
- flash flooding
- isolated tornadoes
•Squall-Line Thunderstorms
line of clouds,
leading edge = tons of rain and then nothing really behind that
> heavy winds and downdrafts
> can have tornadoes at apex of line.
bow echo
in a squall line T-storm portion of cloud juts out from line of clouds.
supper cell T-storms
one T-storm
> 2 + hrs travels far max 100 miles
>HP = high precipitation SCTS
> LP = low precip SCTS
mesocyclone
the rotating updraft of a SCTS
>>this is what makes the TS different than a multi cell
flanking line
updraft/food supply for the mesocyclone.
Rear-Flank Downdraft
rear portion of the mesocyclone’s downdraft
Inflow
“Suck Zone.” Influx of moisture rich air into a mesocyclone.
When do thunderstorms develop?
late spring and summer,
especially May - August.
most often (2 to 4 p.m.).
•Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS)
def: large groups of multi storms that move together and last hours.
2 types:
- linear squall lines
- circular. i.e MCC
Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC)
cover 1 or mores states
>forms at night over midwest plains and provides a lot of needed rain.
can make:
quick tornadoes, strong winds AND flash floods
Gust Front
the cold air coming from squall lines and shelf clouds.
microburst
– localized column of sinking air = very strong wind and straight-line winds at the surface.
creates tornado like damage. however all damage will be in the same direction.
Derecho
widespread and long-lived, violent windstorm
associated with: fast-moving severe t-storms usually in the form of a BOW ECHO
lighting
50,000 degree F
5 time hotter than the sun
is the width of a piece of pencil led.
thunder
the flash heating/ expanding of air and then cooling back to normal temp in less than a second.
>cracks then bangs when your close
> rumbles when you far away cuss the sound wave bounces off stuff.
how far away is the lighting?
its how long the sound wave takes to get to you.
5 seconds a mile.
lightning safety tips
indoors.
- stay away from appliances and land line phones. don't shower or bathe or be near windows.
outdoors:
- crouch low to the ground w/ only shoes touching ground cuss made of rubber. also try and find ditch.
how lighting occurs
positively charge particles are lighter in weight and at top of cloud.
negatively charged are heavier and at base of cloud.
>neg charges overcome insulation in are and discharge.
step leader
portion of lightning that leaves the cloud and moves toward ground. a positive charge comes up from the ground and meet step leader half way.
return stroke
the upward flow of current from the ground to the cloud to help equalize the charge of the cloud.
three places lighting goes
cloud to cloud (CC)
cloud to ground (CG)
cloud to air (CA)
sheet lighting
happens in cloud and looks like a sheet of light b/c clouds are obscuring the actual bolt.
heat lighting
lighting that lights up sky but is to far away for thunder to be heard.
has nothing to do with heat.
ball lighting
the unicorn of lightning
A luminous sphere that appears to “float” in the air, or zip around for a few seconds.
ribbon lighting
When the wind blows a stepped leader horizontally
basically two of the same lightning bolt. see important slides.
tornado and basic formation
A rapidly rotating column of air whose rotation reaches the ground.
>strong updraft
>strong winds blowing in diff directions
> unstable atmo
>eventual form of mesocyclone.
> avg tornado 5-10 min.
waterspout
tornado that happens over water.
low windspeeds 30-40 mph
landspout
not associated with mesocyclones or t-storms.
do not form in same way as tornados and are very weak.
Gustnado
shallow, cyclonic circulation, forms in severe T-Storms
has almost nothing in common structurally with tornadoes
lasts a few second to a few min.
funnel cloud
condensed water droplets, associated with a rotating column of air.
the precursor to a tornado.
tornado life cycle
dust whirl stage:
- dust swirls up toward funnel. light damage on ground
- downward movement of funnel and connection of funnel w/ dust whirl.
- on the ground making lots of noise, strong wind, most damage.
- overall size and power of tornado shrinks
- stretches into a rope shape and is contorted. dies quickly.
tornado time schedule
most occur late afternoon (4pm – 6pm).
day time heating.
most often march - july.
happens most in US but can happen in 6 continents.
The Fujita Scale
measures destructive power of tornado EF-0 ( no damage) to EF-5 (steel reinforced building destroyed.)
tornados in SCTS / mesocyclone's
tornados that form in supercell TS.
I think the tornado is smaller in size.
this is the anvil cloud.
Tornadic Thunderstorm and tornadoes
size of mesocyclone in cloud is much larger than SCTS.
tornado direction and duration
most go SW to NE
avg 5-10 min, but can go for hrs.
form between 4-6 in the afternoon/ late afternoon.
Tornado warning signs
funnel clouds
small bits of debris is whirling under clouds.
hail/ heavy rain after dead calm.
tornado safety
night time tornadoes hard to see.
>watch news.
>know what county you are in.
>watch vs warning: conditions are favorable for it to happen vs it IS happening/ will shortly.
tornado safety in building, mobile home, car
go to windowless room. underground
bathrooms most structurally sound in houses.
go outside, safer than being in trailer.
car, try to drive away from it/ avoid where its going. if not find low point on ground lay flat.
- The small, rapidly rotating whirls that sometimes occur within a large tornado
suction vortices
funnel clouds form off of what cloud
wall clouds
3 things needed for a thunderstorm
warm moist air at surface
unstable atmo
mechanism of lift for air.
side note, air toward the top of cloud is cold and dry.
tornados that have visible suction vortices is called
Multi-Vortex Tornado
About this deck
By: spencer maass
Textbook: Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment. Study Guide/Workbook
Created: 2011-12-11
Size: 50 flashcards
Views: 36
Textbook:
Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment. Study Guide/WorkbookCreated: 2011-12-11
Size: 50 flashcards
Views: 36
About StudyBlue
STUDYBLUE makes things that make you better at school.
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Things like personalized quizzes and friendly reminders about when (and what) to study next.
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“I have been getting MUCH better grades on all my tests for school. Flash cards, notes, and quizzes are great on here. Thanks!”
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