Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are powerful storms that bring lightning, thunder, and heavy rain. About 1,800 thunderstorms are happening around the world at any given moment. They form when warm, moist air rises quickly into the atmosphere. Thunderstorms can be exciting to watch but also dangerous.

Lightning and Thunder

Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the sky. It can be hotter than the surface of the sun. Thunder is the sound made when lightning heats the air so fast it explodes outward. You see lightning before you hear thunder because light travels faster than sound.

How Thunderstorms Form

Thunderstorms need three things: moisture, rising warm air, and a trigger like a cold front. Warm, moist air rises and cools, forming tall clouds. Inside the clouds, water droplets and ice crystals bump into each other, creating electrical charges that become lightning.

Fun Facts

• About 1,800 thunderstorms are happening on Earth at any given moment.
• A lightning bolt can be five times hotter than the surface of the sun.
• You can estimate how far away lightning is by counting seconds between the flash and thunder, then dividing by 5 for miles.

Did You Know?

The Empire State Building in New York City gets struck by lightning about 20 to 25 times per year! Tall buildings and towers attract lightning.