What Is A Thunderstorm?
A thunderstorm is a storm that contains thunder and lightning. The storm can be from a single cloud, a cluster or a line of clouds. The average thunderstorm contains approximately 275 million gallons of water, which is enough water to fill 416 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Click on the tabs below to see the three stages of thunderstorms.
The Cumulus Stage - the initial stage of thunderstorm development in which warm, humid air rises and forms a cumulus cloud.
The Mature Stage - the second stage, characterized by heavy rain, lightning and thunder, along with violent vertical motion. This is when the thunderstorm is most intense and the top of the cloud can reach over 40,000 ft. This stage can be accompanied by a downward rush of cool air with the onset of precipitation.
The Dissipating Stage - after the mature stage, the storm will began to dissipate in ~15 to 30 minutes when the downdrafts dominate the updrafts and no more warm, humid air is being fed into the storm to support it.