Severe Weather Chart
Severe Weather Chart
Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge that occurs within It forms when there is an accumulation of electrical detection networks and sensors that It is hazardous due to its intense
clouds or between a cloud and the Earth's surface. charge in the atmosphere, typically during thunderstorms. track the electromagnetic
heat and can lead to fires. L
Thunder is the sound produced by rapidly expanding air heated by a lightning Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises, cools, Thunder is not directly measured; Thunderstorms can be hazardous due to
strike. Lightning creates a rapid increase in temperature, causing surrounding
air to expand and contract, resulting in a shockwave that we perceive as
and condenses into clouds, often accompanied by
instead, its distance is estimated
using the time delay between seeing
the lightning flash and hearing the
lightning, strong winds, heavy rain, and L
thunder. lightning. thunder. hail.
Hail forms when updrafts in thunderstorms carry Measuring hail is typically done by Hail can be hazardous due to its
Severe hail refers to large hailstones with a determining the hailstone's diameter,
raindrops into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, as larger hailstones are generally potential for property damage and harm
diameter of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) or larger. more destructive. This is commonly
to crops. It can also pose risks to human
causing them to freeze into ice pellets. As these pellets
These hailstones are often associated with are lifted and lowered by updrafts and downdrafts within
done using hail pads or comparing the
size to known objects. safety if encountered during severe H
intense thunderstorms and can cause significant the storm, layers of ice accumulate, resulting in weather conditions.
damage to crops, vehicles, and structures. hailstones.
A flood is an overflow of water onto normally dry land, often Flood formation can occur through various mechanisms, Floods can be measured using
different metrics, including river gauge
Floods are hazardous due to their potential to
caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, storm surges, or cause property damage, disrupt transportation,
including intense and prolonged rainfall that exceeds the readings, rainfall intensity and
contaminate water supplies, and lead to loss of
duration, and satellite imagery. River
the failure of dams or levees. It can result in widespread capacity of rivers or drainage systems, rapid melting of gauge readings help monitor water life. The severity of a flood depends on factors
inundation, posing significant hazards to communities, snow or ice, storm surges from tropical cyclones, or the levels, while rainfall data provides
insights into precipitation patterns
such as the volume and rate of water flow, the L
infrastructure, and the environment. sudden release of water from reservoirs. contributing to flooding. terrain, and existing land use patterns.
A cyclone, hurricane, or typhoon refers to the The Saffir-Simpson Strong winds can cause extensive damage to
Cyclones form over warm ocean waters (usually above Hurricane Wind Scale structures, vegetation, and infrastructure. Low
same meteorological phenomenon—a powerful, 26.5°C or 80°F) where heat and moisture from the sea categorizes storms based pressure and strong winds can lead to a storm
rotating storm system characterized by low surface fuel the storm's development. As warm air rises on sustained wind speeds. surge, a rise in sea level that can inundate coastal
atmospheric pressure at its center. These storms from the ocean surface, it cools and condenses, The scale ranges from
Category 1 (74-95 mph) to
areas. Cyclones often bring heavy rainfall, leading
to flooding and landslides.
L
releasing latent heat. This process reinforces the
form over warm ocean waters near the equator. updraft and intensifies the storm.
Category 5 (over 157 mph).