Thunderstorms are like giant, angry clouds that get so full of water they can't hold it anymore and start to shout and shake the sky.
Imagine you're holding a big balloon filled with water. If you keep adding more and more water, eventually it will burst, that’s what happens inside a thunderstorm cloud. The clouds get so heavy with rain, wind, and even lightning, they start to shake and roar.
How the Storm Grows
Inside the cloud, there are tiny drops of water and bits of ice that bump into each other, like when you're playing tag in a crowded room. These bumps make the air inside the cloud move around, causing wind to blow and rain to fall.
When It Gets Loud
Sometimes the cloud gets so excited it makes lightning, which is like a giant spark that jumps between clouds or down to the ground, just like when you touch a doorknob after walking on carpet and get a little shock. That’s when thunder happens, because the air around the lightning vibrates and makes a loud boom.
So next time it thunders, remember: it's just a cloud having a big, noisy party!
Examples
- A thunderstorm happens when warm air rises and meets cool air, creating a big cloud that drops rain and causes lightning.
- Imagine the sky is like a kitchen where water boils, and the steam turns into electricity, that's a thunderstorm!
- When clouds get heavy with rain, they crash together, making loud noises and bright flashes in the sky.
Ask a question
See also
- Ask the Bureau: What is a severe thunderstorm?
- How Do Hurricanes Form?
- How are tornadoes formed?
- How do tornadoes form? - James Spann?
- How Do They Predict The Weather? - Sciencey?