Lesson 2 Notes: Storms

Terms to know: thunderstorm, vortex, funnel cloud, tornado, hurricane, typhoon, cyclone, eye, eye wall, and NWR

Fill in the definitions/important information under each term as we learn it in class.

Thunderstorm: is a disturbance in the Earth’s atmosphere that usually occurs as warm humid air rises and creates an unstable atmosphere.

Thunderstorms usually involve:

  • gusty winds
  • heavy rain
  • lightning
  • thunder

Vortex: the movement of liquid or gas in a spiral around a central axis.

Causes of a vortex:

  • uneven heating of earth’s surfaces
  • the force of gravity
  • earth’s rotation

Funnel cloud: rapidly rotating cloud that becomes visible as a funnel at the base of a thundercloud.

Tornado (also called a twister): happens when funnel cloud’s circulation comes in contact with the ground.

  • violent windstorm
  • spirals around an intense low pressure vortex
  • moves in a narrow path over land

Three appearances of a tornado

  1. twisting ropelike funnel
  2. cylindrical funnel
  3. massive black funnel

Hurricane: massive rotating storm that originates over tropical oceans and has sustained winds of more than 119 km per hour. They can affect a larger region than a tornado.

Where hurricanes develop?

  • North of equator in Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean
  • Summer and early fall
  • Northern hemisphere is tilted toward sun

When is hurricane season? (June - November)

Hurricanes have different names in different places….

  • Typhoon – north of equator and in western Pacific Ocean
  • Cyclone – forms in Indian Ocean or off Australia

Hurricane Parts:

Eye: center of hurricane

  • Rising temperatures
  • Low winds
  • No rainfall
  • Low pressure
  • Bright sky with high clouds

Eye wall: Ring of spiraling clouds and thunderstorms that whirl around the storm’s center extending approx. 15km above sea level.

  • Heaviest precipitation
  • Strongest winds

National Weather Service: collects data from different sources such as weather satellites (Doppler radar and aircraft) and sends information to weather centers to help meteorologist make good weather predictions.

Lesson 2 Notes: Storms Terms to Know

Fill in the definitions and important information under each term as we learn it in class.

______: is a disturbance in the Earth’s atmosphere that usually occurs as warm humid air rises and creates an unstable atmosphere.

Thunderstorms usually involve:

  • ______
  • ______
  • ______
  • ______

Vortex: ______

______

Causes of a vortex:

  • uneven heating of earth’s surfaces
  • the force of gravity
  • earth’s rotation

Funnel cloud: ______

______

Tornado: ______

______

  • ______
  • spirals around an intense low pressure vortex
  • ______

Three appearances of a tornado

  1. ______
  2. ______
  3. ______

______: massive rotating storm that originates over tropical oceans and has sustained winds of more than 119 km per hour. They can affect a larger region than a tornado.

Where hurricanes develop?

  • North of equator in Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean
  • ______
  • Northern hemisphere is tilted toward sun

When is hurricane season? ______

Hurricanes have different names in different places….

  • ______ – north of equator and in western Pacific Ocean
  • ______ – forms in Indian Ocean or off Australia

Hurricane Parts:

Eye: ______

  • Rising temperatures
  • Low winds
  • No rainfall
  • Low pressure
  • Bright sky with high clouds

______: Ring of spiraling clouds and thunderstorms that whirl around the storm’s center extending approx. 15km above sea level.

  • Heaviest precipitation
  • Strongest winds

______: collects data from different sources such as weather satellites (Doppler radar and aircraft) and sends information to weather centers to help meteorologist make good weather predictions.