Book 7, Question 26
Why Do Thunderstorms Build So Fast?
On a hot, humid afternoon, a calm blue sky can turn into a thunderstorm in less than an hour. Hot, moist air rockets upward, and it cools as it rises. Scientists call that unstable air, and it is a storm factory.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Thunderstorms often start when the Sun heats the air near the ground and pockets of warm air begin to rise.
- Tall, growing towering cumulus clouds can be one of the first signs that a thunderstorm is forming.
- A single thunderstorm cell has a life cycle that lasts about 30 minutes.
- In the growing stage, a cumulus cloud can shoot up to about 20,000 feet tall.
- When the rain gets too heavy for the rising air to hold up, the falling rain turns the updraft into a downdraft.
- Thunderstorms often form in clusters, with new cells growing as old ones fade.
- Lines of storms called squall lines can last for many hours.
Sources: National Weather Service, NOAA, NOAA
Questions kids ask
How long does a thunderstorm last?
A single storm cell lasts about 30 minutes, but clusters and lines of storms can last for hours.
What is the first sign of a thunderstorm?
Tall, growing cumulus clouds, called towering cumulus, are often one of the first signs.