Non-Severe Thunderstorms
Non-severe thunderstorms
are the most common type of thunderstorms across the United States. They
mainly produce showers with a few rumbles of thunder but rarely produce
strong winds or large hail. Most of the time they are very beneficial because
of the rains they produce. These systems on average are relatively short
lived with an average lifetime of around a 1/2 hour. As you
watch the animations corresponding to the stages in the birth and death
of these systems, see if you can identify how these storms can produce
the necessary lifting to start another thunderstorm nearby.
The next three
sections will explore the life cycle of these thunderstorms by looking
at a vertical cross section of the atmosphere. The bottom of the
cross section is the surface of the earth while the top of the cross section
is approximately the upper region of the troposphere and lower region of
the stratosphere. Between these two regions (approx. 12 kilometers)
thunderstorms develop. The cumulus stage proceeds to the mature stage.
The final stage is also known as the dissipation stage.
Physical
Principles
Why Should Air Rise At All?