Weather on the LooseWeather on the Loose

What You Need to Know toWhat You Need to Know to

Survive a Midwest SummerSurvive a Midwest SummerBy Zach, Isabel, Madi & MorganBy Zach, Isabel, Madi & Morgan

ThunderstormsThunderstormsby Zahala San Simoneby Zahala San Simonewww.authorsden.comwww.authorsden.com

Onset of gray skies Onset of gray skies Looks like rain todayLooks like rain todayMy child just sighs My child just sighs Pulls toys out for play Pulls toys out for play

A whistle of wind A whistle of wind Then a bright flash of light Then a bright flash of light It’s starting, I think It’s starting, I think Hope it’s done by tonight Hope it’s done by tonight

My windows I close My windows I close But I leave cracked the doorBut I leave cracked the doorI love the air’s scent I love the air’s scent Before a downpour Before a downpour

Soon rain begins Soon rain begins Unrelenting and thick Unrelenting and thick Along with hail's chatter Along with hail's chatter Like a clock’s slow tick. Like a clock’s slow tick.

A huge clap of thunder A huge clap of thunder Rolls past my house Rolls past my house With companions of lightning With companions of lightning And wind all about And wind all about

The storm raged for hours The storm raged for hours As clouds changed to white As clouds changed to white And again back to dark And again back to dark One more show of might One more show of might

And then it was over And then it was over Limbs strewn, all was wet Limbs strewn, all was wet I opened my windows I opened my windows And took in the scent And took in the scent

Of a clear, green land Of a clear, green land Robust and well fed Robust and well fed Washed back to a virgin Washed back to a virgin Ready to be had. Ready to be had.

A Thunderstorm Needs 3 Basic A Thunderstorm Needs 3 Basic Ingredients to Form:Ingredients to Form:

MoistureMoisture Rising unstable airRising unstable air A rising mechanism to provide a nudgeA rising mechanism to provide a nudge

Thunderstorm SafetyThunderstorm Safety

If a thunderstorm turns severe, go to If a thunderstorm turns severe, go to the basement or lowest level of your the basement or lowest level of your homehome

Listen to the weather on the radio, Listen to the weather on the radio, television or NOAA weather radiotelevision or NOAA weather radio

Watch what is happening outsideWatch what is happening outside Stay away from windows if strong Stay away from windows if strong

winds occurwinds occur

THUNDER & LIGHTNINGTHUNDER & LIGHTNING

Lightning strikes 75 – Lightning strikes 75 – 100 people in the US 100 people in the US each yeareach year

The earth gets about The earth gets about 100 lightning strikes 100 lightning strikes per secondper second

Before Ben Franklin Before Ben Franklin came along, people came along, people thought lightning was a thought lightning was a terrifying type of fireterrifying type of fire

THUNDER & LIGHTNINGTHUNDER & LIGHTNING

Lightning is the second biggest killer after Lightning is the second biggest killer after floodsfloods

The kind of lightning we see most often is The kind of lightning we see most often is cloud-to-ground lightningcloud-to-ground lightning

Lightning can flash within a cloud or Lightning can flash within a cloud or between several cloudsbetween several clouds

CAUSES OF LIGHNTINGCAUSES OF LIGHNTING

Lightning happens during thunderstormsLightning happens during thunderstorms Lightning happens when positive charges Lightning happens when positive charges

meet negative chargesmeet negative charges The clouds bounce around together like The clouds bounce around together like

balloons and the charge that builds up is balloons and the charge that builds up is attracted to an opposite charge on the attracted to an opposite charge on the ground. The lightning strikes, following a ground. The lightning strikes, following a path between the cloud & the object on the path between the cloud & the object on the ground.ground.

THUNDERTHUNDER

Lightning super-heats the air to 18,000 degrees Lightning super-heats the air to 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit.Fahrenheit.

The air expands, and that causes the noise we The air expands, and that causes the noise we know as thunder.know as thunder.

The hot air from the lightning expands very fast The hot air from the lightning expands very fast and it makes sound waves along the streak of and it makes sound waves along the streak of lightning – and that makes thunder.lightning – and that makes thunder.

The sound waves reach you at different times.The sound waves reach you at different times. When the first one reaches your ears, there may When the first one reaches your ears, there may

be a loud crash.be a loud crash.

HOW FAR AWAY?HOW FAR AWAY?

When you see lightning, start counting “1 When you see lightning, start counting “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi . . . “Mississippi, 2 Mississippi . . . “

Stop when you hear the thunder.Stop when you hear the thunder. Divide your number by 5. That’s how many Divide your number by 5. That’s how many

miles away the lightning strike was.miles away the lightning strike was.

HEAT LIGHTNINGHEAT LIGHTNING

Heat lightning is lightning that is so far away Heat lightning is lightning that is so far away that you cannot hear the thunder.that you cannot hear the thunder.

Heat lightning is mostly seen at night.Heat lightning is mostly seen at night.

HAILHAIL

Nearly 5000 hailstorms happen in the Nearly 5000 hailstorms happen in the US every year.US every year.

Most hailstorms occur during the Most hailstorms occur during the summer.summer.

The biggest hailstone was 1.7 pounds! The biggest hailstone was 1.7 pounds! It fell in Coffeyville, Kansas in 1970.It fell in Coffeyville, Kansas in 1970.

Causes of HailCauses of Hail

Hail forms inside storm clouds.Hail forms inside storm clouds. Hailstones are chunks of ice that are tossed Hailstones are chunks of ice that are tossed

up and down in whirly winds of up and down in whirly winds of thunderstorms.thunderstorms.

Every time a hailstone goes back up into the Every time a hailstone goes back up into the cold cloud, another layer of ice is added to cold cloud, another layer of ice is added to it.it.

Hailstones can be the size of a marble to Hailstones can be the size of a marble to bigger than a baseball.bigger than a baseball.

HailstonesHailstones

If you break open a hailstone, it would look If you break open a hailstone, it would look like a cut onion with lots of layers.like a cut onion with lots of layers.

Hail safetyHail safety

Hail can be very damaging to homes, cars Hail can be very damaging to homes, cars and even people.and even people.

You can protect your car from hail by putting You can protect your car from hail by putting it in a garage or shelter.it in a garage or shelter.

You can protect yourself from hail by going You can protect yourself from hail by going inside a house or building.inside a house or building.