Although we do not experience thunderstorms very often here in the Bay Area, the

Question

Although we do not experience thunderstorms very often here in the Bay Area, these local convection storms are frequent during summer in the eastern part of the United States. Occasionally in California, lightning from fast moving summer thunderstorms start wildfires across the state. Discuss the formation and dissipation of a local convection storm Include in our discussion, the concept of atmospheric instability, the reason for storm height limits, formation of hail and the likely role of hail in lightning and thunder.

Explanation / Answer

The Storm or tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating wind system characterised by a low pressure center,a closed low level atmospheric circulation, strong winds and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rains.

Tropical cyclone typically form over oceans with relatively warm water and they derive their energy through evaporation from the ocean surface which ultimately recondensed into clouds and rain when moist air rises and cools to saturation.

This energy source differs from that of mid latitude cyclonic storms ,such as nor'easters and European windstorms ,which are fueled primarily by horizontal temperature contrasts.The strong rotating winds of a tropical cyclone are a result of conservation of angular momentum ,as air flows inwards towards the axis of rotation.This phenomenon is termed as Coriolis effect and this causes the wind to blow clockwise in southern hemisphere and anticlockwise in northern hemisphere.

In addition to the strong winds and rain,the tropical cyclones are also capable of generating high waves , damaging storm surges and tornadoes.They typically weaken rapidly over land as they are cut off from their main energy source .

The hails are formed when thunderstorm updrafts are strong enough to carry water droplets well above the freezing level at greater heights in the troposphere,The freezing process forms hailstones ,which could further grow as additional water freezes onto them.Eventually the hailstones become too heavy for the updrafts to support it and it falls to the ground.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.