EOSC 114 Final: Storms Unit

• School: UBC
• Department: Earth and Ocean Sciences
• Course: EOSC 114
• Professor: Lucy Porritt

Document Summary

Intracloud lightning (ic: cloud-to-ground (cg) lightning, cloud-to-cloud lightning, upward moving lightning or ground-to-cloud lightning. 4: cloud-to-air lightning, anvil crawler lightning, bead lightning or chain lightning, ribbon lightning. Cloud-to-ground lightning: stepped leader, upward streamer, strike lightning. Types of strikes: direct strike, side flash, ground strike. Direct strike and side flash are most likely to cause severe injury or death. Central africa has the greatest lightning frequency in the world. Distance of lightning (in km) = number of second between lightning seen and thunder heard divided by 3. 30/30 rule: if it takes less than 30 seconds to hear thunder after seeing the flash, lightning is near enough to pose a threat; after the storm ends, wait 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities. Favorable thunderstorm locations are at greatest supply of heat and moisture . Thunderstorm cell life-cycle: cumulus stage updraft, no rain, no anvil, mature stage up and downdrafts, heavy rain, crisp anvil, dissipating stage downdraft, light rain, fuzzy anvil.