Key Points in this Chapter

KEY POINTS IN THIS CHAPTER

• Thunderstorms can have strong winds, heavy rains, and hail.

• A thunderstorm will have certain cells, with a super cell thunderstorm having multiple cells.

• Thunderstorms are what produce things like tornadoes, although most tornadoes come from super cells.

• Flooding depends on how rapid water enters the system and how quickly it can be absorbed into the ground or fed into the ocean.

• There can be upslope factors or downslope factors leading to the development of a flood.

• Tornadoes come from mesocyclones and draw in moisture from the downdraft you see in a major thunderstorm.

• A tornado is not considered a tornado unless it extends from the cloud to the ground and has winds in excess of forty miles per hour along the ground.

• Tornadoes have a certain lifecycle in which they draw in energy in the form of heat and moisture. When this energy is cut off from them, they become ropey and lose their intensity, finally dissipating.