Severe Weather
Most people have experienced a thunderstorm with streaking lightning and booming thunder. While the sounds and sights of a severe storm can be magnificent, damage from these storms can be frightening. A single severe storm can cause costly damage and even have associated deaths. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes are all different types of severe weather. Each type of storm forms differently and can cause damage in different ways. In this interactivity, learn more about severe storms and their causes. Click the player button to begin.
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Thunder and Lightning
Lightning forms when a cloud becomes filled with electrical charges. The charges are the result of ice crystals bumping into each other during updrafts and downdrafts. The top of the cloud will eventually have a net positive electric charge and the bottom of the cloud will have a net negative electric charge. Once the positive and negative charges connect, a spark is produced. That spark is known as lightning.
The lightning from a cloud can be hotter than the surface of the Sun. This extreme heat causes the air around the bolt of lightning to expand. The expansion of air is heard as thunder. There is no thunder without lightning. Lightning can travel from one cloud to another cloud or from a cloud to the ground.
Importance of Satellite Technology
Accurately predicting weather would not be possible without the use of satellite imagery. Severe storms, like thunderstorms and hurricanes, are tracked using satellite technology. The implementation and development of weather satellites costs the United States billions of dollars. While this may seem like an extreme cost, the data from satellites helps people prepare for severe weather. Storm preparation reduces the amount of property loss and saves lives. Satellite tracking is particularly helpful in the tracking and forecasting of hurricanes. These storms form in the ocean and are first detected using satellite imagery. Meteorologists are able to track the storm path and strength with the use of weather satellites. Without the use of satellites, people would not have ample time to prepare for severe storms, like Hurricane Sandy shown in the satellite image.
Severe Weather Review
Now that you explored severe weather, practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read each question and select the correct response. Click the player button to get started.