The Beautiful Stages of a Thunderstorm

Happy Sky Watch Friday!! It's post time!!! (Please visit our host, Tom, Klaus, Sandy and Imac's Sky Watch blog (click here or on the logo to participate) to participate in Sky Watch Fridays. So much fun!!! I highly recommend it!) Today, I have chosen a stormy sky to post in honor of summer thunderstorm season and hence, my soon-to-be-temporarily-relieved SDS (Supercell Deprivation Syndrome). Specifically, this shot was taken in my backyard before a summer thunderstorm in 2006.
You can see in this shot that one cell has lost much of it's energy and is deep into the dissipation phase (The large cloud in the back which has a wispy appearance, where the edges are fuzzy and lack distinction); however, in that same shot you see a solid tower rising, most likely having stolen the remaining energy from the dying cell and rising now in its cumulus stage up to its own maturity.

STAGE 1 CUMULUS STAGE
The sun heats the earth's surface during the day. The heat accumulates on the surface and warms the air around it. Since warm air is lighter than cool air, it starts to rise (known as an updraft). If the air is moist, then the warm air condenses into a cumulus cloud. The cloud will continue to grow in height as long as warm air below it continues to rise. The formation of a cumulus cloud takes only a few minutes.

STAGE 2 MATURE STAGE
When the cumulus cloud becomes very large, the water molecules in it become large and heavy. They start to fall through the cloud when the rising air can no longer hold them up. Meanwhile, cool dry air starts to enter the cloud. This is known as entrainment. Because cool air is heavier than warm air, it starts to descend in the cloud (known as a downdraft). The downdraft pulls the heavy water molecules downward, making rain.

This cloud has become a cumulonimbus cloud because it has an updraft, a downdraft, and precipitation. Lightning and thunder start to occur, as well as heavy rain. The cumulonimbus is now a thunderstorm cell.

STAGE 3 DISSIPATING STAGE
After about 30 minutes, the thunderstorm begins to dissipate. This occurs when the downdrafts in the cloud begins to dominate over the updraft. Since warm moist air can no longer rise, cloud droplets can no longer form. The storm dies out with light rain as the cloud disappears from bottom to top.

The whole process takes about one hour for an ordinary thunderstorm.

That's my weather lesson for today.

Things locally are getting exciting over the next couple of days. Today just barely to my north and heading out to the coasts of the Carolinas, we see a slight risk for severe weather as a cold front dips down into near my neck of the woods, which is generating a slight chance for damaging wind, hail and heavy downpours. This drought-stricken region can definitely benefit from the rain, and hopefully the cloud cover will aid in cooling things down from the dangerous record temps we've been seeing. Meso Mike and Rick are hooking up in hopes of chasing some lightning. I will provide sporadic radar support as the need arises. Thursday... ugh.

A huge thank you to Rick for developing this adorable magazine cover and posting it as a surprise on the chase team blog. SO CUTE!... and a terrific lead in for a reminder about the suggestions for OUR WEDDING LOCATION CONTEST, please do send them my way (leave a comment, send me an email, drop me an IM...) My future groom (who cringes at the idea of me abbreviating that to mfg since he doesn't like the idea of being called mf anything... sorry, my fabulous fiance) and I will be touring locations throughout the southeast over the coming months, scoping out locations (your suggestions) for our picture-perfect and very much stress-free nuptuals. For information about the contest, read this blog (click here) or just see the post below. Thanks for the many great ideas we have already received.

5PM Skies... Have fun, guys!Have a wonderful day!
~Dewdrop