THUNDERSTORM

Section Objectives:
1. Characterize thunderstorms.
2. Explain how thunderstorms form and how they behave.
3. Describe the different effects effects of thunderstorms.
4. ldentify areas prone to thunderstorms.
5. Know what to do before, during, and after a thunderstorm.

THUNDERSTORMS
Are you frightened by the sudden loud cracking and/or gradual rumbling sound of thunder? As you
may have learned from years of experience, the sight of lightning gives you the cue to cover your ears in anticipation
of the strong explosive sound that may shortly follow. Why is this so? How does lightning and thunder happen? In this
lesson, we will discuss lightning and thunder and a lot of other phenomena which occur during a thunderstorm like
hailstorms, tornadoes, downbursts, and flashfloods.

A thunderstorm is a violent, transient type of weather disturbance associated with thousands of meters tall
cumulonimbus clouds, and which usually involves lightning and thunder, strong winds, intense rainfall, and
occasionally tornadoes and hall.

Thunderstorms often occur in equatorial regions at any time of the day but happen mostly in the afternoon or evening
during summer. This is because the atmospheric conditions which favor the formation of a thunderstorm are related to
maximum daytime heating. In particular, the three requirements for the formation of a thunderstorm are:
1) moisture (water vapor) which must be readily available in the lower atmosphere to produce clouds and
precipitation during storm formation.
2) an unstable, rapidly rising mass of warm air; and
3) a strong upward current of air (updraft) to force moisture to higher, colder levels of the atmosphere.

Thunderstorm Lifecycle
The life of a thunderstorm is divided into three stages: developing, mature, and dissipating. Developing or
cumulus stage begins with the upward growth of a cumulus cloud due to the continuous updraft and supply of
moisture. Latent heat (heat given off) from the condensation of moisture warms the surrounding air and promotes the
further rising of air and moisture. The cumulus cloud grows further with domes and towers and transforms into a
mushroom-shaped cumulonimbus cloud. Growth of the cloud continues until the point when precipitation starts. This
stage, which lasts up to 10 minutes, is accompanied by occasional lightning and very little rain, if any.

The mature stage is indicated by the initiation of strong downward current of air (downdraft) and by
precipitation. The thunderstorm keeps on growing until it reaches the tropopause, which separates the troposphere
from the stratosphere. Updrafts continue, creating clouds sideways to form an anvil-like formation. This stage, which
usually lasts for 10-20 min (but can last up to an hour or so), produces heavy rains, frequent lightning and thunder,
tropical cyclones, and, occasionally, hail.

The final or dissipating stage is when the updrafts are prevented by the cool air of the dominant downdrafts in
the lower portions of the cloud. Because of the diminishing supply of moisture supposedly brought by updrafts, the
thunderstorm weakens, rainfall decreases, and the clouds dissipate. This stage lasts less than an hour and usually
causes very minimal damage. However, some thunderstorms may continue to produce strong winds and lightning.

Hazards
The occurrence of thunderstorms poses a threat to people and property. Many people are injured or die despite
warnings because they are unaware of preparedness and safety measures, and probably even lack understanding of the
phenomenon itself.
Lightning
Electrical charges within the thunderstorm cloud separate during its development, with the positive charges
gathering at the top and the negative charges at the bottom.
Meanwhile, on the ground, positive charges begin to gather. Lightning is the abrupt, natural, visible high-
voltage electrical discharge that takes place when positive and negative charges join within a cloud, between clouds,
or between a cloud and the ground.
Cloud-to-ground lightning is the most dangerous type of lightning. lt involves negative charge from the
cloud coming into contact with the positive charge on the ground below.

A lightning flash lasts a few tenths of a second and is always followed by thunder. This is because thunder is
the acoustic effect of the sudden expansion of air caused by the heat released during a lightning strike. Also, remember
that light travels ata rate of 3 x 10° m/s, while sound travels only at a rate of 344 m/s. In some cases, it may seem that
lightning is not followed by thunder. This is because lightning may be too far for its accompanyíng thunder to be
heard. If lightning hits an object on the ground, it is caled a lightning strike. There are actually many types of lightning
depending on appearance, nature of termini, and direction of formation.
Lightning strike can cause injuries or even death usually for people who stayoutdoors
during a thunderstorm.

Effects of Lightning Strike to Humans

It is estimated that lightning strikes result in an annual death toll of 2,000 people worldwide. Lightning strike
can harm humans in three ways:
1. Lightning strike could directly cause harm to people through contact between the main lightning channel or
its branches and the person's body or a conductor the person is touching. The high-voltage electric shock can cause
severe external and internal burns, exposure of flesh and bones, damage to organs, and damage
to the nervous system. In worst cases, it may result in electrocution.
2. Lightning strike could also directly cause either blunt force trauma toa person thrown by a shock wave or
hearing damage due to thunder or electrical interferences in gadgets they are using like phones, headphones, and
hearing aids. Lightning strike could indirectly cause electric shock or electrocution when electric charges from the
ground supposedly running toward the lightning channel instead flow to a person's body (which is a conductor)
through his or her feet. Electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) created by the electrical discharge
between the cloud and the ground can also induce surges within the nervous system or in a pacemaker, disturbing
normal functions of the body-a common cause of cardiac arrest or seizures due to lightning.
3. Lightning strike may also cause injuries or casualties through secondary effectslike explosions and fires.

Lightning Safety Rules

The most important thing to keep in mind during a thunderstorm is to stay indoors. If
at school during a thunderstorm, do not leave the classroom or the school building until the
thunderstorm has fully ended. The sight of sunshine or clear blue skies does not necessarily
mean you are already out of harm's way. It is usually safe to go outdoors only after at least
30 min upon hearing the last thunder roar.

Calculating Danger's Distance

To calculate how far away lightning is from you, a very simple method called the Flash-To-Bang method can
be used. This is done by counting the delay between seeing the lightning flash and hearing its associated thunder.
Remember that every 3 of delay between lightning flash and thunder is equal to a distance of 1 km. Therefore, a 15-
delay would mean that the main lightning activity is approximately 5 km away. If the interval is 25 or less, it means
that lightning is almost 8 km (or less) away and precautionary measures during lightning strike should immediately be
taken. However, as a rule of thumb, if you hear thunder, it means that you are within 16 km of a thunderstorm and that
there is a chance that youcan be struck by lightning.

Danger indoors. While inside a buildina, avoid staying near glass windows Or gas3 portions of doors.
Lightning strike could shatter glass during thunderstorms and cause serious injuries.
Avoid contact with anything that can conduct electricity like, electrical appliances, light switches, electric
sockets, and faucets, pipes, shower head, steel bannisters, mobile phones, telephones (most cases of lightning injuries
are associated with using telephones during a thunderstorm), concrete walls, and floors (which most likely contain
metal reinforcements).
 Danger outdoors. Seek shelter. but avojd open vehicles and small unenclosed structures like steel waiting
sheds and wooden huts. Large enclosed structures with plumbing and wiring systems provide a mechanism for electric
charge to be grounded (just do not make the mistake of touching these!). –‘Avoid using an umbrella which attracts
lightning by making you stand out as the tallest feature in a certain area.
In addition, it is best to avoid being close to or touching tall metal and nonmetal isolated objects (e.g., trees,
street light posts, and flag poles); walking in an open space (e.g., farmland, mountain ridges, and sports grounds); and
engaging in activities that involve going near or being in direct contact with bodies of water, like boating or
swimming.
In case you witness someone getting struck by lightning, do not hesitate to provide assistance. It is not true
that one can be electrified by touching a person hit by lightning.
A person who may appear dead can still be revived if properly and quickly given first-
aid through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), cardiac massage, and extended artificial
respiration.
Did you know?
When your hair begins to stand up during a thunderstorm, it could be an indication that positive charges from the
ground are flowing through you to get to the negative charges in the thunderstorm clouds. That is a warning for you to
immediately seek shelter indoors because you are at a high risk of getting struck by lightning.

If you are driving or traveling with others by car, find a safe place to pull over and avoid making your car the
tallest standing object. ideally, you should look for a covered parking space. If there is no covered area, just remember
to avoid touching the window and anything inside the car that can conduct electricity like the steering wheel, keys
inserted in ignition, gear stick, and the car stereo.

Effects of Lightning on Infrastructure and Technology

Infrastructure. Lightning strikes produce acid rain which can cause deterioration of buildings and other types
of infrastructure built of materials like concrete. Acid reacts with the calcium hydroxide in the cement, removes it
from the cement, and weakens the Structure. Lightning strikes may also cause fires when it hits wood or any other
flammable building materials of structures like houses. Shockwaves from lightning, which produce thunder, can also
cause damage; these can actually fracture concrete and masonry work.
Technology. Overhead power and telephone cables, satellite dishes, and antennas may be hit by lightning
strikes. This could result in power surges which may flow through the electricity outlets, phone jacks, or coaxial
cables and damage various delicate electronic appliances like televisions and stereos, devices like mobile phones and
tablets which are being charged, and telecommunication devices such as telephones, fax machines, modems,
and computers.
The best and the only guaranteed way to protect your electronic devices and appliances is to unplug these
before the thunderstorm comes. These can also be protected by using surge protectors and lightning arrestors. It is
worth investing in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for personal computers.

Effects of Lightning Strike on the Environment

Trees and forest fires. Lightning strike that hits forests with a lot of readily available flammable material
(organic litter) during a thunderstorm with little precipitation is a perfect recipe for the occurrence of wildfires. How
wildfires happen and how these can be prevented is discussed in a separate lesson in this book. Trees, especially those
containing a lot of water and ions, are susceptible to damage due to lightning. That is why it is not advisable to seek
refuge under a tree during a thunderstorm. Some may be severely damaged and decayed.
Acid rain. The tremendous heat that lightning brings and the current that it transmits can form nitrogen
dioxide from the atmosphere. Nitric acid forms when nitrogen dioxide dissolves in water vapor. The carbon dioxide
and sulfur oxides from the wildfires triggered by lightning also form acids when dissolved in water vapor. The acid
rain may increase the acidity of the soil and aquatic environments, which may result in the death of organisms that
dwell in terrestrial and aquatic environment To have an actual "feel" of lightning, we will be performing an
experiment using very common household materials/supplies,

Hail
Hail is a type of solid precipitation. Hailstone is an individual piece of layered, rounded, or irregularly shaped
ice which is occasionally produced during a thunderstorm. When thunderstorm produces hail, it is called a hailstorm.
Hail formation is rare in the Philippines Or the very warm temperatures even at high altitudes. Hailstones are formed
when large amount of moist warm air ascends very quickly into thunderstorm clouds with a large proportion well
above the freezing level The water droplets are almost Instantaneously frozen, More ice accumulate until such point
that the weight of the ice crystals surpasses the force exerted by upward air currents. That is when hail begins falling
and poses a threat to humans and property.

One afternoon, at around 2 PM on May 21, 2014, a hailstorm took place in Metro Manila and neighboring
areas. Marble- sized hailstones poured for almost 30 min in Rodriguez, Rizal. It happened right after about 40 min of
continuous rainfall. Hailstones can be as small as 1 mm and as large as 20 cm.

with a diameter of at least 2 cm can already cause damage. Hailstorms in the Philippines usually form only
small hailstones which cause minor damage to property such as cracking or breakage of glass and dents or abrasions
on the coating of automobiles and metal roofs. Hail can damage sensitive crops such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and
tobacc0. Hailstones larger than 1 cm can damage an airplane and cause accidents if these enter the engine or scatter on
the runway right before the airplane lands.

Tornadoes and Waterspouts

Tornadoes are narrow, funnel-or cylindrical-shaped, and intensely rotating columns of wind that form during
powerful thunderstorms and extend from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud down to the Earth's surface. Tornadoes
usually rotate in a counterclockwise direction and reach speeds of up to 500 km/h. The span of a tornado can reach
more than 1.5 km and can travel for more than 100 km. Tornadoes are also known as twisters and, erroneously, as
cyclones. Locally, these are called buhawi or ipo-ipo. Waterspouts are basically the same as tornadoes, the only
difference is that the rotating column of wind moves over a body of water.

Tornadoes can cause damage and claim lives in communities in a matter of seconds. Tornadoes can form very
quickly that issuing warnings may be impossible. If any, the lead time may be very short. People should closely follow
updates on an approaching thunderstorm. Calm weather does not necessarily mean that a thunderstorm has dissipated
and there is no more potential danger of a tornado. Before a tornado approaches, the wind can be very still. It is best
that you wait for alert levels to be lowered before going outdoors.

Formation
Most tornadoes or waterspouts are spawned by thunderstorms. When warm, moist winds and cool, dry winds
coming from different directions with different speeds meet, instability occurs in the lower atmosphere. When the
wind direction changes and wind speed increases with increasing height, an invisible, horizontal spinning effect takes
place in the lower atmosphere. An updraft supplying more warm and moist air to the thunderstorm causes the
horizontally spinning air wind to tilt and eventually stand vertically. At this stage, a tornado has already formed.
Tornadoes occur frequently in the Philippines because of its location near the equator. In fact, in Asia,
Bangladesh, Japan, and the Philippines have the highest number of reported Occurrences of tornadoes. The tornadoes
in the Philippines, however, are not as intense a those in the U.S., which are more commonly called twisters.

Destruction
From the year 1990 to 2006, at least 46 tornadoes hit the Philippines. Records of the NDRRMC show that
these tornadoes resulted in 14 casualties, 72 injuries, 54 missing, 1,364 partially damaged houses, 652 totally damaged
houses, and a total of 38,950 people affected nationwide.
The provinces frequently visited by tornadoes from 1990 to 2006 were Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva
Ecija, Zambales, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Cebu, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat,
Zamboanga Sibugay, and Sulu.

Safety tips
According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), during a tornado, the most
important thing to keep in mind to survive or avoid getting hurt is the phrase: "Get in, get down, and cover up!"
"Get in" means if you are outdoors, you should immediately seek shelter in a sturdy house or building. Once
you get inside, it is advisable to go into the innermost portion of the structure, to surround yourself with as
many"shields" as possible.
 "Get down" means to go to the lowest level of the structure. f there is a basement, this would be a good place
to hide. If there is no basement, at least go to the lowest storey possible.
Cover up" means to protect yourself from debris that may possibly fall or fly by and hit you. Getting hit by
debris is the most common cause of death during a tornado.
You can use pillows, thick blankets, thick coats, helmets, and anything else that can protect your entire body.

Downburst
Atmospheric phenomena that are often mistaken for tornadoes are downbursts. Downbursts are relatively
small, localized sources of violently descending strong winds (and precipitation) that travel along straight-line paths
during thunderstorms. Downbursts form when a thunderstorm cloud can no longer contain a large volume of
precipitation resulting in the rapid fall of water and plenty of wind. As this downdraft nears the Earth's surface, it
accelerates and creates a downburst. Winds of downbursts can reach speeds of 240 kph, but last for only a couple of
minutes. When these reach the ground, they spread out as very destructive horizontal winds which travel along a
straight path. Downbursts, being straight- line winds, tend to leave debris aligned and in the direction pointing away
from the locus of descending winds. Tornadoes, on the other hand, leave a more random scatter of debris which is
dependent on the path of the rotational wind.
Aircraft 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 unstable, poorly
constructed, and unfinished structures. Vehicles can be blown away. Nearby vegetation will most likely be greatly
damaged.

Flash Flood
Severe, slow-moving thunderstorms pour a large amount of precipitation over a very limited area. A flash
flood occurs especially when rain falls on a low-lying area where infiltration is low (soil in the area is already
saturated, inherently impermeable, or covered with impermeable material like concrete) and where natural and man-
made drainage channels may not have enough capacity to allow large amounts of runoff to flow out of the area with
ease (ideally at a rate faster than the downpour of water). Flash floods are very common in highly populated urban
areas.
Flash floods can destroy different kinds of vegetation, vehicles, small buildings, and
bridges. These can also cause widespread soil erosion and landslides.