Dissecting T-Storms

A fter a record winter where temperatures fell below -30 degrees F in some parts of the Midwest, its hard to believe summer is approaching again. That means a rapid increase in thunderstorm activity across the country. In this issue our goal is to help you not only understand the parts of a storm but also whats going on underneath the hood and what it means for the forecast. The information also might help save your bacon when things go downhill unexpectedly and all the data you have is whats out the window.

Tim Vasquez

Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Thunderstorms develop from a combination of solar heating (convection) and moisture, forming distinct updrafts and downdrafts; precipitation creates downdrafts that can lead to hazardous microbursts.
Different atmospheric conditions, such as wind shear and instability, give rise to various storm types, including ordinary cells, multicell clusters/lines, squall lines, and the highly dangerous supercells.
Pilots can improve safety and anticipate storm behavior by understanding these storm structures, interpreting weather data like radar reflectivity and gradients, and recognizing the characteristics of each storm type.

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After a record winter where temperatures fell below -30 degrees F in some parts of the Midwest, it’s hard to believe summer is approaching again. That means a rapid increase in thunderstorm activity across the country. In this issue our goal is to help you not only understand the parts of a storm but also what’s going on underneath the hood and what it means for the forecast. The information also might help save your bacon when things go downhill unexpectedly and all the data you have is what’s out the window.

A Convection Refresher

Most thunderstorms get their start from sunshine reaching the earth. That’s not always the case as unstable conditions can develop from air advection, especially during the cool season. But the vast majority of storms get their start from daytime heating.