In areas of the country that become cold in the wintertime, the warmth of summer can be a welcome respite. However, having so much hot, moist air moving around can also lead to severe storms during the summer. This can lead to extremes of weather and pose a potential threat to people and property alike. Keep an eye out for the following severe weather patterns during the warmer months.
Hail
Hailstones start out as raindrops that form during thunderstorms. Rather than falling to the ground, they get caught in updrafts during a storm. The updrafts carry the raindrops up into the atmosphere where the air is cold enough to freeze them. The hailstones can go through several cycles of this, growing bigger and bigger every time as they collect more water drops, until they finally fall when the updraft can no longer support them. Hailstones can become large enough to damage houses or cars, requiring hail damage repair Denver CO. If they become big enough, they can injure animals or people in their path.
Lightning
As storm clouds develop and grow bigger, they build up a charge of static electricity. Lightning occurs when the electricity gets discharged. It is basically a giant electric spark, but one that is very powerful. The energy and heat from a lightning strike can start fires. A person who is struck by lightning can suffer electrical burns. The bolt can disrupt the body’s bioelectrical system, potentially stopping the heart in the process.
Tornadoes
There are more tornadoes in the United States than anywhere else on Earth. They have been reported in each of the 50 states, although some states may be more vulnerable than others. A tornado consists of strong winds that blow in a circular pattern. The area of rotation creates a funnel shape extending from the clouds down to the ground. Water droplets in the funnel collect dust and debris that make the tornado visible even though the wind itself is not.
Flooding
Flooding is one of the most deadly summer weather events, second only to heat exhaustion due to high temperatures. When land that is usually dry experiences an overflowing of water over its surface, that is a flood. There are many different possible causes of floods. Flash floods occur when the ground cannot absorb the heavy rainfall. Another cause of flash flooding is when heavy rains fill up dry creek beds to overflowing. Because flash floods form the most quickly and are very strong, they are also the most dangerous.
