What is Dangerous Weather?

Some weather conditions can be dangerous. Below we describe some weather situations that can cause damage and even injury to you. Whenever you experience hazardous weather conditions, be sure to ask your parents and teachers what to do and follow their instructions.

Thunderstorms

When warm, humid air rises rapidly, thunderstorms can form. Thunderstorms bring high winds, heavy rain, thunder and sometimes hail. Thunderstorms occur every day across our planet. They can form at any time, but usually form in the afternoon and evening during the warm season.

Thunderstorms can be very dangerous. Lightning from thunderstorms kills more people each year than tornadoes.

Lightning

Lightning is an extremely powerful electric current that can form during thunderstorms and strike the earth with great force. For lightning to occur, the first strong winds of a thunderstorm cause ice and water particles to collide at high speeds. This causes a build-up of charge.

The top of the storm is positively charged, but the bottom of the storm is negatively charged. When the negative charge builds up to a certain point, it immediately discharges in the form of lightning. Since objects on the ground are also positively charged, light can often hit an object on the ground.

Light will usually reach the highest point on earth. He is also attracted to metal. During a thunderstorm, be sure to go inside. Do not stand under a tree or hold a metal object such as a metal umbrella or golf club. Also be sure to get out of the water. Do not swim in the pool during a thunderstorm.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are large, powerful storms that form over the ocean. They can be up to 600 miles wide! Hurricanes bring high winds, heavy rains, floods and high tides from the ocean that can be horribly destructive.

Typhoons form in the summer and fall when the ocean water is warm. Hurricanes get their energy from warm ocean water, the temperature must be above 80 degrees F. Hurricanes with strong winds from rotating around the center of the storm are called hurricane eyes. They rotate due to the Coriolis force of the planet’s rotation. Winds are usually calm in the center, but just outside the center can find occasional gusts of 80 to 150 miles per hour.

Hurricanes are found in several areas of the world. They form in the Atlantic Ocean near the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. They also form in the Indian Ocean where they are known as Cyclones. In the Pacific Ocean, hurricanes are known as typhoons and can threaten much of Southeast Asia.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes are violent columns of wind that rotate very quickly. They extend from the bottom of thunderstorms to the ground and can have winds of up to 300 mph. Tornadoes are smaller than hurricanes and form over land rather than at sea. They get their energy from big thunderstorms. Tornadoes that form over water are called tornadoes. Before a tornado hits, it’s called a funnel cloud.