THUNDERSTORMS thunderstorm weakens, rainfall decreases, and

■ A violent, transient type of weather disturbance the clouds dissipate.

associated with thousands of meters tall  This stage lasts less than an hour and usually
cumulonimbus clouds and which usually causes very minimal damage.
involves lightning and thunder, strong winds,  However, some thunderstorms may continue to
intense rainfall, and occasionally tornadoes and produce strong winds and lightning.
hail. Hazard
Thunderstorms often occur in the equatorial regions. ■ The occurrence of the thunderstorms poses
Three requirements for the formation of thunderstorm: danger to people and to property. Many people
 MOISTURE. (Water vapor) Which must be are injured or die in spite of warnings because
readily available in the lower atmosphere to they are unaware of the preparedness and
produce clouds and precipitation during storm safety measures and probably even lack
formation. understanding of the phenomenon itself.
 An unstable, rapidly rising mass of WARM AIR. Lightning
 A strong UPWARD CURRENT OF AIR (updraft) to ■ Electrical charges within the thunderstorm
force moisture to higher, colder levels of the cloud separate during its development, with the
atmosphere. positive charges gathering at the top and the
Developing or Cumulus Stage negative charges at the bottom.
 This begins with the upward growth of a ■ Meanwhile, on the ground, positive charges
cumulus cloud due to the continuous updraft begin to gather.
and supply of moisture. Difference:
 Latent heat (heat given off) from the ■ Lightning is the abrupt, natural, visible high-
condensation of moisture warms the voltage electrical discharge which takes place
surrounding air and promotes the further rising when positive and negative charges join within
of air and moisture. a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud
 The cumulus cloud grows further with domes and the ground.
and towers and transforms into a mushroom- ■ Thunder is the acoustic effect of sudden
shaped cumulonimbus cloud. expansion of air caused by the heat released
 Growth of the cloud continues up until the during a lightning strike.
point when precipitation starts. Lightning goes first. Since light travels at a rate of
 This stage, which lasts up to 10 mins, is 3x10^8 m/s, while sound travels at a rate of 344 m/s.
accompanied by occasional lightning and very
little rain, if any. Lightning Strike
Mature Stage ■ In some cases, it may seem that the lightning is
 This is indicated by the initiation of strong not followed by thunder.
downward current of air (downdraft) and by ■ This is because lightning may be too far for its
precipitation. accompanying thunder to be heard.
 The thunderstorm keeps on growing until it ■ If lightning hits an object on the ground, this is
reaches the tropopause which separates the called a lightning strike.
troposphere from the stratosphere. Cloud-to-ground lightning
 Updrafts continue to create clouds sideways to ■ This is a more accurate term than just
form an anvil-like formation. “lightning” when referring to the most
 This stage, which usually lasts for 10-20 mins, dangerous type of lightning.
(but can lasts an hour or so) produces heavy ■ Most of the time, it involves negative charge
rain, frequent lightning and thunder, tropical from the cloud coming into contact with the
cyclones, and occasionally hail. positive charge on the ground below.
Final or Dissipating Stage Effects of lightning strike to humans
 This is when the updrafts are prevented by the 1
cool air of the dominant downdrafts in the ■ Lightning strike could directly cause harm to
lower portions of the cloud. people through contact between the main
 Because of the diminishing supply of moisture lightning channel or its branches and the
supposedly brought by updrafts, the person’s body or a conductor the person is
touching.
 ■ The high-voltage electric shock can cause ■ If you can hear thunder, this means that you are
severe external and internal burns, exposure within 16 km of thunderstorm and that there is
of flesh and bones, damage to organs and a chance you can get struck by a lightning.
damage to the nervous system. DANGER INDOORS
■ In worst cases, it may result to electrocution. ■ Avoid staying nearby and watching the lightning
through windows or glass portions for door.
2 ■ Lightning strike could shatter glass during
■ Lightning strike could also directly cause either thunderstorms and can cause serious injuries.
blunt force trauma to a person thrown by a While glass is an insulator, lightning could hit
shock wave or hearing damage due to thunder the person on the other side of the window
or electrical interferences to gadgets they are after it shatters the glass.
using like phones, headphones, and hearing ■ Contact should be avoided with anything which
aids. could conduct electricity like, electrical
■ Lightning strike could indirectly cause electric appliances, light switches, electric sockets, and
shock or electrocution when electric charges faucets, pipes, shower head, steel bannisters,
from the ground supposedly running toward the mobile phone, telephones (most cases od
lightning channel instead flow to a person’s lightning injuries associated with usage of
body (which is a conductor) through his or her telephones during a thunderstorm), concrete
feet. walls, and floors (which most likely contain
■ Electromagnetic field and electromagnetic metal reinforcements).
pulses created by the electrical discharge DANGER OUTDOORS
between the cloud and the ground can also ■ When seeking shelter, avoid open vehicles and
induce surges within the nervous system or small unenclosed structures like steel waiting
pacemaker, disturbing normal functions of the sheds and wooden huts.
body – a common cause of cardiac arrest or ■ The merit of standing in a large enclosed
seizures due to lightning. structure which contains plumbing and wiring
3 systems is it provides mechanism for electric
■ Lightning strike may also cause injuries or charge to be grounded (just do not make the
casualties through secondary effects like mistake of touching these)
explosions and fires. ■ Using an umbrella can only attract lightning if it
Lightning safety rules makes you stand out as the tallest feature in a
STAY INDOORS certain area.
 Do not leave the classroom or the school ■ Best to avoid: standing out as the tallest
building until the thunderstorm has fully ended. feature in an area; coming close to or touching
 Sight of full sunshine or clear blue skies does tall metal and non-metal isolated (like trees,
not necessarily mean you are already far from street light posts, flag poles, and electricity or
harm’s way. telephone pole; walking in an empty space (like
 It is usually safe to go outdoors only after at farmland, mountain ridges, and sports grounds);
least 30 minutes upon hearing the last thunder engaging in activities that involve going near or
roar. being in direct contact with bodies of water, like
Calculating danger’s distance boating or swimming.
THE FLASH TO BANG METHOD ■ In case you might witness someone get struck
■ Done by counting the delay between seeing by a lightning, do not hesitate to provide
lightning flash and hearing its associated assistance. It is not true that one can be
thunder. electrified by touching a person hit by a
■ Every 3 seconds delay between lightning flash lightning.
and thunder us equal to a distance of 1 ■ A person who may appear dead can still be
kilometer. revived if properly and quickly given first-aid
■ Therefore, a 15-second delay would mean that through CPR, cardiac massage, and extended
the main lightning activity is approx. 5 kms artificial respiration.
away. If the interval is 25 seconds or less, the When your hair begins to stand up during a
lightning is almost 8 km (or less) away. thunderstorm, it could be an indication that the positive
charges from the ground are flowing through you to precipitation is a perfect recipe for the
get the negative charges in the thunderstorm clouds. occurrence of wildfires.
■ If you are driving or traveling with others by ■ Trees are susceptible to damage due to
car, find a safe place to pull over somewhere lightning strike because they are tall conductors
far from tall features, like trees, that would (containing a lot of water and ions). Trees with
attract a lightning strike but also far from an a lot of sap (poor conductors), may respond
empty field that will make your car the tallest differently. Due to intense heat, trees may
standing object. steam up and lose bark.
■ Ideally, you should look for a covered parking ■ Trees can prevent damage to buildings due to
space. lightning damage. Trees can divert lightning
■ If there is no covered area, just remember to strike since these are natural conductors. It is
avoid touching the window and anything not advisable to seek refuge under a tree.
inside the car that can conduct electricity, like Acid rain.
the steering wheel, keys inserted in ignition, ■ The acid rain increases the acidity of soil and
gear stick, and the car stereo. aquatic environments which may result in the
Effects of lightning on infrastructure and technology death of organisms that dwell in terrestrial and
Infrastructure. aquatic environments.
■ Lightning strikes produce acid rain which can Hail.
cause deterioration of buildings and other ■ Hail is a type of solid precipitation. Hailstone is
types of infrastructure built by materials like the individual piece of layered, rounded or
concrete. Acid reacts with the calcium irregularly-shaped ice which is occasionally
hydroxide portion of the cement removes if produced during a thunderstorm. When a
from the cement and weakens the structure. thunderstorm produces hail, it is called a
■ Lightning strikes may also cause fires when it hailstorm.
hits wood or any other flammable building ■ Hailstones are different from ice pellets which
materials of structures like houses. are formed during winter in regions with
■ Shockwave from lightning, which produce temperate climate.
thunder can also cause damage. These can ■ Usually thunderstorm cloud which produce hail
actually fracture concrete and masonry work. have a characteristic green hue.
Technology. ■ The diameter of hailstone can be 1 mm – 20 cm.
■ Overhead power and telephone cables, satellite Hailstone with a diameter of at least 2 cm can
dishes, and antennas may be hit by lightning already cause damage.
strikes. Hail formation.
■ This could result in power surges which may ■ Hailstones are formed when a high amount of
flow through the electricity outlets, phone moist warm air ascends very quickly into the
jacks, or coaxial cables and can damage various thunderstorm clouds with a large proportion
delicate electronic appliances like televisions well above the freezing level (altitude of 0 deg.
and stereos; devices like mobile phones and C)
tablets which are being charges; ■ The water droplets from condensation reach
telecommunication devices such as telephones, the freezing level so fast and are almost
fax machines, modems, and computer. instantaneously frozen. The tiny ice crystals
■ The best way to protect devices is to UPLUG all which are initially formed, drift up and down
of these before the thunderstorm. They can repeatedly due to strong upward current or air
also be protected individually by using surge and accumulate more ice until such point that
protectors and lightning arrestors. It is worth weight of the ice crystals surpasses the force
investing in an uninterruptible power supply exerted by upward air currents.
(UPS) for PC. ■ That is when hail begins falling down and poses
Effects of lightning in the environment threats to humans and properties.
TREES AND FOREST FIRES. Factors Favoring Hail.
■ Lightning strike that hits forests with a lot of ■ Hail formation is not as common in the
readily available flammable material (organic Philippines as it is in mid-latitude continental
litter) during a thunderstorm with little regions, despite the fact that thunderstorms
occur more frequently in tropical regions. This is
 because the atmosphere in tropical regions can erroneously, cyclones. Locally, these are called
be very warm even at high altitudes. buhawi or ipo-ipo.
■ Hail formation is favored when the freezing ■ Tornadoes can damage and claim lives in
level in an area is less than approx. 3400m communities in a matter of seconds. Some
high. tornadoes can be seen clearly even from afar,
■ In tropical regions, hail usually forms in high while some can be hidden behind clouds.
altitude areas like mountain ranges. This is due ■ If the tornado itself is obscured, it can be
to: detected indirectly by a rotating cloud of debris.
1.) lower temperature Tornadoes can form very quickly that issuing
2.) stronger updrafts caused by horizontal winds warnings may be impossible.
that tend to be forced upward upon hitting ■ People should closely follow weather updates
mountains (orographic lifting) on an approaching thunderstorm.
3.) shorter distance bet. Clouds and the high ■ Calm weather does not necessarily mean that
grounds which delays melting of hailstone. a thunderstorm has dissipated and there is no
Hazards Due to Hailstorms. more potential danger of tornadoes.
■ Hailstorms in the Philippines usually form only ■ Before it approaches, the wind can be very still.
small hailstones which cause minor damage to It is best to wait for alert levels to be lowered
property. before going outdoors.
■ These can create dents or abrasion on the WATERSPOUTS
coating of automobiles and metal roofs which ■ The same as tornadoes, but the rotating
may initiate corrosion and eventually leaks. column of wind moves over a body of water.
■ These can also result in cracking or breakage of ■ Most tornadoes or waterspouts are spawned by
glass in automobiles or lightweight materials thunderstorms.
used in skylight roof of houses if hailstones are ■ When warm, moist winds and cool, dry winds
sufficiently late or if these accumulate coming from different directions with different
preferentially in one portion. speeds meet instability occurs in the lower
■ Hailstorms may potentially pose hazards to atmosphere.
aircraft operation. ■ When the wind direction changes, and wind
■ Hailstorms larger than 1 cm can damage the speed increases with increasing height, an
airplane and cause accidents if these enter the invisible horizontal spinning effect takes place in
engine or scatter on the runway right before the the lower atmosphere.
airplane lands. ■ An updraft supplying more warm and moist air
■ Hail has destructive effects on sensitive crops to the thunderstorm causes horizontally
such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and tobacco. spinning air wind to tilt and eventually stand
■ Very rarely have hailstorms been the direct vertically.
cause of severe or fatal physical injuries. If there ■ At this stage, a tornado has already formed.
are any incidents, these mostly happen in mid- DESTRUCTION
latitude continental regions where the ■ From 1990 – 2006, at least 46 tornadoes hit the
formation of large hailstones is favored. Philippines. These resulted in 14 casualties, 72
■ Hailstorms seem to occur less frequently than injured people, 54 missing, 1364 partially
other weather phenomena in the Philippines. damaged houses, 652 totally damaged houses,
TORNADO. and 38950 people affected.
■ These are narrow, funnel – or cylindrical- ■ Provinces visited by tornadoes from 1990-2006
shaped, and intensely- rotating columns of were Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija,
wind that form during powerful thunderstorms Zambales, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Cebu,
and extend from the base of a cumulonimbus North Cotabato, South Cotabato,
clouds down to the earth’s surface. Maguindanao, Sultan Kudaratm Zamboanga
■ Usually in a counter clockwise direction and Sibugay and Sulu.
reach speeds of up to almost 500 km/h. SAFETY TIPS
■ The span of tornado can reach more than 1.5 ■ GET IN. If you are indoors, you should seek
km and can travel for more than 100 km. shelter in a sturdy house or building. If you are
Tornadoes are also known as twisters and inside, go to the innermost portion of the
 structure to surround yourself with much shield infiltration (soil in the area is already saturated,
as possible. inherently impermeable, or is covered with
■ GET DOWN. Go to the lowest level of structure. impermeable materials like concrete) and
If there is a basement, this will be a good place where natural and man-made drainage
to stay in. If there is none, stay in the lowest channels may not have enough capacity to
storey. allow large amount of runoff to flow out of the
■ COVER UP. Protect yourself from debris that rea with ease.
may possibly fall or fly by and hit you. You can
use pillows, thick blankets, thick coats, helmets.
DOWNBURTS
■ Relatively small, localized sources of violently
descending strong winds that travel along
straight-line paths during the thunderstorms.
■ Winds of downbursts can reach as fast as 240
kph, but last for only a couple of minutes.
■ When these reach the ground, these spread out
as very destructive horizontal winds which
travel along a straight path.
FORMATION
■ During a thunderstorm, there comes a point
when rain, sometimes hail, becomes heavy
enough to fall down. But the continuing updraft
can be very strong that only small amounts are
allowed to pass through and fall to the ground.
■ Most of the volumes of this precipitation
becomes suspended and retained in clouds.
■ However, when the thunderstorms cloud is no
longer able to retain this weight, the bulk of
precipitation then rapidly falls all at once
bringing along with it a lot of wind.
■ As this downdraft nears the earth’s surface, it
accelerates and creates a downburst.
DAMAGE
■ Pilots should watch out for downbursts
particularly during takeoff and landing because
the descending winds could cause the aircraft to
nosedive and crash.
■ Downbursts can also destroy poorly
constructed structures. Vehicles can be blown
away. Nearby vegetation will be greatly
damaged.
■ Downburst is often mistaken for the effects of a
tornado. Downbursts will tend to leave debris
aligned and in direction pointing away from
the locus of descending winds. Tornadoes leave
a more random scatter dependent on the path
of the rotational wind.
FLASH FLOOD
■ Severe, slow-moving thunderstorms pour a
large amount of precipitation over a very
limited area extent.
■ A flash flood occurs especially when rain falls
on a low-lying area where there is low