Thunderstorm Facts

1/10/2022 (Permalink)

There are three different types of thunderstorms; all of which can be identified with a humbly trained eye. Dennis Mersereau, from Mentalfloss.com, breaks down each of the types of thunderstorms.

First, there are single-cell storms, which pulses up, rains for half an hour, and dissipates. Although it may seem pretty straight forward, these storms can cause heavy winds from its downdrafts that can trigger more storms in a chain reaction.

The second type of storm, and the most common one that contains squall lines, are called multi-cell thunderstorms. These storms have the possibility of becoming dangerous due to their squall lines, which are a narrow band of high winds and storms associated with a cold front.

The third and final thunderstorm, called a supercell storm, has a rotating updraft. The twisting updraft helps these supercell storms survive for many hours and produce more severe weather, like: large hail, higher winds, and strong tornadoes.