How is storm formed

Updrafts continue to fuel the storm with warm, moist air. But, once a storm runs out of updrafts, it starts to weaken. GOES satellites watch out for lightning, too. These satellites are constantly watching for severe weather—and the information they gather can help people stay safe during storms.

The Short Answer:. All thunderstorms need the same ingredients: moisture, unstable air and lift. What is a severe thunderstorm? How many thunderstorms are there? Worldwide, there are an estimated 16 million thunderstorms each year, and at any given moment, there are roughly 2, thunderstorms in progress.

There are about , thunderstorms each year in the U. When are thunderstorms most likely? Thunderstorms are most likely in the spring and summer months and during the afternoon and evening hours, but they can occur year-round and at all hours. Along the Gulf Coast and across the southeastern and western states, most thunderstorms occur during the afternoon.

Thunderstorms frequently occur in the late afternoon and at night in the Plains states. What kinds of damage can thunderstorms cause? Many hazardous weather events are associated with thunderstorms. Under the right conditions, rainfall from thunderstorms causes flash flooding, killing more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes or lightning.

Lightning is responsible for many fires around the world each year, and causes fatalities. Hail up to the size of softballs damages cars and windows, and kills livestock caught out in the open.

Strong up to more than mph straight-line winds associated with thunderstorms knock down trees, power lines and mobile homes. Tornadoes with winds up to about mph can destroy all but the best-built man-made structures. The two GOES satellites keep their eyes on hurricanes from far above Earth's surface—22, miles above, to be exact! Learn more about this kind of orbit.

These satellites, built by NASA and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA , save lives by helping weather forecasters predict and warn people where and when these severe storms will hit land. Our World: What is a Hurricane? Here is a movie of Hurricane Katrina, which struck the coast of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi on August 29, , as a Category 3. This movie was made from images taken by the GOES weather satellite. In the movie you can see the storm starting to form in the Atlantic on August 24 and becoming more and more organized as it moves over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

How Do Hurricanes Form? Hurricane Fran. Image made from GOES satellite data. Click to view movie. If you liked this, you may like: Orbits 'R' Us! Printed Product Downloads.

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