Thunderstorms, Hail, Lightning and Blizzards

Formation of Thunderstorms, Lightning, Hail and Blizzards
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms are formed when temperature imbalances are present in the atmosphere. They are a violent example of convection. The warming of the air near the earth and/or the cooling of the air above puts the warmer lighter layers below the colder denser layers. This causes instability and convection overturns the layers. The colder, denser air sinks below the warmer lighter air which is rising rapidly. The same conditions may occur when warm buoyant air is forced up by a wedge of cold air undercutting the warm air mass or an air mass is forced to rise over a mountain.
In the first stage of thunderstorm development and up draft carries warm air past its dew point. The water vapour held by that air mass condenses into water droplets or ice if the dew point is below zero. The continued upward movement of the air mass makes very large clouds like mounds, domes and towers (cumulous clouds). Winds above may b...