THUNDERST

ORMS
Thunderstorm - is a local storm associated to
lightning and thunder.
- can form above land or sea
- associated to cumulus and cumulo-nimbus
clouds
Stages of formation:
1.Cumulus stage – associated to fast evaporation
reaching about 7T m forming cumulus clouds
2. Mature stage – updraft increases speed and
reaching about 8Tm to 18T m raindrops form.
- rising air causes rain to fall up and down in
the cloud
3. The dissipation stage
- characterized by strong downdraft (rainfall)
spreading horizontally to the east
- with gusty wind, storm, colder temperature
and increased pressure
THE FORMATION OF LIGHTNING & THUNDER
1. At fair weather, the land surface at late afternoon or the sea at night or
early in the morning are negatively (-) charged while the air is
positively (+) charged.
2. During thunderstorms, the air that is rising collides with raindrops.
Friction removes positive (+) charges from the air and (-) charges from
the raindrops.
3. The (+) charges concentrate at the upper layer of the cloud while the (-)
charges at the center to base layer. System looks like the battery below.
4. Energy goes out from the cloud to any where
that has opposite charge in the form of
leader stroke.
5. The discharge temporarily reverses
the charge of the ground
- If the difference in charges is highly
potential, lightning is formed.
Stepped leader approaches at a speed of
50 m per 50 microseconds
Lightning - occurs when regions of excess
positive and negative charges develop within
the cloud.

Voltage = 10 to 100 million volts

Temperature = about 30,000 °C
Speed of leader stroke = 30 milliseconds
Speed of return stroke = 100 microseconds

Thunder – is the sound heard as air expands and

contracts with the rapid heating in the discharge
path.
Lightning is started by The stepped leader is highly
a stepped leader.
branched and propagates
- An initial stroke downward.
that propagates
from the ionized air
Then when near the ground at
molecules. about 30 -100 meters, an
upward discharge of
opposite polarity from the
ground (streamer)
connects.
Then a return stroke occurs.
With mountains or buildings,
stepped leaders propagate
from the ground to upward.
Types of lightning
1. Cloud to ground lightning
2. Intra-cloud lightning
3. Volcanic lightning
4. Ball-lightning
5. Clear air- lightning
6. Catatumbo-lightning
7. Lightning from space
Benefits from thunderstorms
1. Lightning ionizes the air.
2. Thunderstorms bring rain
3. Fixation of nitrogen to nitrate benefits algae,
fungi and green plants
Nitrate is useful in protein synthesis.

Mushrooms are abundant after a

thunderstorm bec of nitrate.
NITROGEN FIXATION BY LIGHTNING
1. During lightning free nitrogen (N2) combines with oxygen to form nitric
oxide.
N2 + O2 Lightning 2NO (nitric oxide)
2. Nitric oxide undergoes oxidation.
2NO (nitric oxide) + O2 Oxidation 2 NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)
3. NO2 reacts with rain water or with both rain water and atmospheric
oxygen and forms nitric acid:
a. 2NO2 + H2O HNO3 + HNO2 or
b. 4NO2 + 2 H2O + O2 4HNO3 (nitric acid)
4. Nitric acid reaches the soil by rain and combines with alkaline substances
that readily release the hydrogen resulting to
nitrate and nitrite ions.
a. HNO3 H+ + NO3- (nitrate ions)
b. HNO2 H+ + NO2- (nitrite ions)
5. Nitrate NO3- then can be readily used by plants, fungi, algae and
microorganisms.
What lightning can do for plants and fungi:
4NO2 (In air) + 2 H2O (Rain) + O2 (In air)
Lightning 4HNO3 (nitric acid)
 NO3 is absorbed by plants for proteins
DAMAGES / HAZARDS
FROM THUNDERSTORMS
1. Heavy rainfall may cause flooding in low lying areas
2. Heavy rainfall can cause landslide in
mountainous areas
3. Hailstones can damage properties
4. Lightning can cause fire damage
5. Power surge damage
6. Shock wave damage
Shock wave effect
 Giraffes and
elephants

Sheep Horse
US golf championship at Chiasca USA in 1991
Lightning struck golf course flag pole and branched out on the
ground and grass
HOW WOULD KNOW IF A LIGHTNING STRIKE
IS NEAR YOU?
You will feel the hair on your head or body start to
stand-up. Go to a safe place quickly.

If there is no safe place nearby, get as close to the

ground not to be a pathway.
Some safety measures to be observed not to be a
victim of lightning
1. Stay away from open spaces and beneath tall
trees. The best is to stay inside a building
2. If you are swimming get out of the water. The
storm may seem far but lightning can travel over
20 miles.
3. Unplug all electric items. Do not use the phone.
4. Never walk in a thunderstorm carrying a metal
pole. Do not even carry an open umbrella.
NO EFFECT OF RED COLOR
MIRROR IS INSULATOR. IT JUST
BREAKS IF AFFECTED BY SHOCK WAVES
FULGURIT
ES
TEN PHOTOS OF INCREDIBLE LIGHTNING
1. An Incredible Lightning Storm over the Grand Canyon
2. When Lightning Struck the Eiffel Tower
3. A Magnificent Lightning Storm in the Desert
4. A Lightning Strike Captured on the Statue of Liberty
5. Beautiful Lightning Display over the Greek Island
of Ikaria
6. The Lightning of Catatumbo, Venezuela
A unique atmospheric phenomenon, the Catatumbo Lightning only occurs in one specific location: where the Catatumbo River empties into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.
7. Lightning Engulfs the Chaitén Volcano of Chile
8. Cloud-to-cloud lightning
9. Eight Lightning Strikes At The Bay Bridge
10. A Bolt of Positive Lightning