Are thunderstorms dangerous?
Thunderstorms are dangerous because they include lightning, high winds, and heavy rain that can cause flash floods. Remember, it is a severe thunderstorm that produces a tornado. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which usually kills more people each year than tornadoes.
What are the 2 types of thunderstorms?
There are two main types of thunderstorms: ordinary and severe. Ordinary thunderstorms are the common summer storm. Ordinary thunderstorms last about one hour. The precipitation associated with them is rain and occasionally small hail.
Can thunder kill you?
A direct hit by a bolt of lightning kills about 50 people per year. Those who survive a lightning strike – with temperatures that can heat the surrounding air to 50,000 Fahrenheit – often suffer permanent injuries to the brain, heart or other parts of the body.
How fast do thunderstorms move?
The speed of isolated storms is typically about 20 km (12 miles) per hour, but some storms move much faster. In extreme circumstances, a supercell storm may move 65 to 80 km (about 40 to 50 miles) per hour. Most storms continually evolve and have new cells developing while old ones dissipate.
How can you identify a storm?
If you feel the temperature drop from warm or hot to a more brisk temperature, you know the storm is approaching very quickly. Beware of Sudden Wind Changes – Be on your toes if it suddenly gets very windy or if there is an abrupt calm during or right after a thunderstorm.
What is a dangerous thunderstorm?
Thunderstorms are dangerous storms that include lightning and can: Include powerful winds over 50 MPH; Create hail; and. Cause flash flooding and tornadoes.
What do you do if you are struck by lightning?
When someone is struck by lightning, get emergency medical help as soon as possible. If more than one person is struck by lightning, treat those who are unconscious first. They are at greatest risk of dying. A person struck by lightning may appear dead, with no pulse or breath.
What happens if someone gets hit by lightning?
Of every 10 people struck, nine will survive. But they could suffer a variety of short- and long-term effects: cardiac arrest, confusion, seizures, dizziness, muscle aches, deafness, headaches, memory deficits, distractibility, personality changes and chronic pain, among others.
Does being struck by lightning hurt?
Thinking of it this way, the lightning essentially rewires your brain. Though everything might look fine on the outside, the surge may have damaged the software within. Lightning-strike victims struggle to describe the pain and sensations of millions of volts of electricity passing through their bodies.