THUNDERSTORM

DESCRIPTION OF A THUNDERSTORM CREATION OF A THUNDERSTORM TYPES OF THUNDERSTORMS - FRONTAL THUNDERSTORM - OROGRAPHIC THUNDERSTORM - THERMAL THUNDERSTORM - THUNDERSNOW LIGHTNINGS - ORIGIN OF LIGHTNING - TYPES OF LIGHTNINGS T.L.E ("TRANSIENT LUMINOUS ENVENTS") THUNDER CONSEQUENCE OF THUNDERSTORM PRECAUTION OF LIGHTNING DATE AND PLACE IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS METHODS TO PHOTOGRAPH THE LIGHTNINGS SETTING THE CAMERA ACCORDING THE THUNDERSTORM DURING THE DAY DURING THE NIGTH MERGING SEVERAL LIGHTNING PICTURES METHODE TO MERGE SEVERAL LIGHTNING PICTURES PRECAUTION WHEN HUNTING LIGHTNING

DATE AND PLACE

The further north and south of the equator one goes, the higher the frequency of storms drops to zero at the poles or sub-polar regions. In addition, the average strength of thunderstorms decreases as we moves away from the equator.

Heat and humidity are the causes thunderstorms. The heat is in greater quantities near the equator which is the reason for the high frequency of storms in the area. In the eastern U.S. the thunderstorms are more numerous and more violent than in Europe because at the same latitude the cold and dry air from the North Pole meets the Gulf of Mexico which is warm and humid.

Each year there are around 20 million thunderstorms or 50.000 per day. At any time on the planet, there are more than 2000 active thunderstorms about 100 lightning strikes hitting the ground every second.

Thunderstorms occur mainly in summer (June-August in the northern hemisphere and December to February in the southern hemisphere). But it is possible that small thunderstorms occur in winter.

The above image from NASA shows the annual density of lightning through
the world. Note that the highest concentration is in the Central Africa.

0 - 1 40 - 59 2 - 4 60 - 79 5 - 9 80 - 99 10 - 19 100 - 139 20 - 39 140 - 200 +

The annual average of the days of thunderstorms on all continents

Click here to enlarge map

 

Average density of lightning strikes in hundredths of impacts per km² in 1994

The frequency of storms by departments
Source : the bible of Alex Hermant "traqueur d'orage"

Average density of the lightning USA

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