What is a Thunderstorm and How Does it Form?
A thunderstorm is a local storm that produces lightning and thunder . It can consist of a single cumulonimbus cloud , a cluster of clouds, or a line of clouds. Thunderstorms form when moist, unstable air near the surface is lifted. This lifting can be caused by thermals generated from a strongly heated surface, the forcing of air upward along a frontal surface or terrain surfaces, or by the upward motion produced by winds converging near the surface. Thunderstorms are generally transient phenomena that last anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. Thunderstorms are often accompanied by showery rain and gusty winds, and may also bring hail or snow. Thunderstorms occur most frequently during summer, but they are not unknown in the winter when thunder can sometimes be heard during intense snowstorms. Thunderstorms are categorized as ordinary and severe. Severe thunderstorms generally last longer than ordinary thunderstorms and can produce very strong winds, flooding, hail, and/or tornad
