What is a scattered thunderstorm

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines a thunderstorm as a storm that is produced locally by a cumulonimbus cloud, which is accompanied by heavy rain, lightning and thunder . When one of these storms is viewed closely, it is observed to have an anvil shape, because the upper clouds are flat in shape.

Thunderstorms can happen anywhere in the world, as long as conditions are hot and humid. When a thunderstorm exceeds 92.5 km / h, it is accompanied by a tornado and the fall of hail, it is called a severe electrical storm and they are a highly dangerous phenomenon. Electrical storms are more frequent in spring and summer and during the afternoon and at night, due to the fact that the temperature and humidity conditions for their formation are more favorable.

To learn more about these types of storms and their elements, we recommend reading these other AgroCorrn articles on thunder and lightning:

• What is thunder and how is it produced?
• Why do trees attract lightning?
• Are lightning and thunder dangerous?

For the formation of thunderstorms , it is necessary that there is a certain humidity in the environment, an unstable rising air and forces that raise this air. The steps in its formation are as follows:

1. Ascent of hot air saturated with water vapor. This air rises, but remains warmer than the surrounding air.
2. The rise of the air causes heat to be transferred from the surface to higher atmospheric levels. Water vapor at these levels cools, condenses and gives rise to the formation of clouds.
3. In this cloud, the upper part is kept at a lower temperature than its interior, so the water vapor begins to turn into chunks of ice that grow.
4. Inside the cloud, more and more heat and steam are created, while at the top it supplies cold air.
5. Inside the cloud, the action of the wind pushes the ice fragments up and down. In their movement, the ice fragments collide with each other, creating sparks and regions of greater electrical charge that, later, form the lightning.

The thunderstorms can be scattered or isolated . Its level of danger and duration depends on this:

• Scattered storms: this class of thunderstorms have a greater geographical extension than isolated ones and, often, they form in groups in the same area. These storms can form linear structures that lead to the formation of bad weather for a longer period than isolated ones. The formation of these storms means the possibility of between 30% and 50% of it falling in that area.
• Isolated storms : these are electrical storms located in a specific area of ​​the planet and mean a 30% chance of a storm falling. They are more common in areas where the air is warm and humid. The half-life of an isolated thunderstorm is 30 minutes, according to the data.

It is estimated that each year between 16 and 17 million thunderstorms fall across the planet, or what is the same, over 44,000 daily storms. The damage caused by scattered and isolated thunderstorms is significant, but varied, and can cause large floods , falling trees, power lines and other objects. When they cause tornadoes , they can cause great destruction. The danger of floods can be greater when storms are seasonal and accompanied by winds and hail.

One of the most dangerous factors in storms is lightning strikes and lightning . It is estimated that thunderstorms can discharge approximately 6,000 lightning bolts per minute across the entire planet and their temperature of each of these lightning bolts may be higher than that reached on the solar surface. Approximately 30% of people who are affected by lightning die, so it is essential to comply with a series of instructions and safety protocols to avoid them.