because i thought that i had seen lighting when it was snowing and that kind of freaked me out.
2006-12-27 11:04:26 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
I disagree COMPLETELY with CARSON BROOKS. I'm in Detroit, and it doesn't matter waht type of clouds, as long as the conditions are there for it. The only difference is that it's cold enough for the precip to be snow. We have had some thundersnow twice in the past years and even thundersleet. Also, I have seen a lightning strike in the thundersleet that occured. It sort of freaked me out for a second. Also, he have those snow squalls that ocassionally blow off of Lake erie. If the conditions are right, they can produce 45 MPH gusts and thunder (blizzard conditions). Then of course, we were going through our day at home, it was in the middle of a snow storm. So I heard some crackling. Come to find out, it was thunder. I think it was two or three mre crackles after that. No lightning though that I could see. Same for the snow squall. Anyway, my point is, it has and does occur in the upper Midwest.
Sorry, not Lake Erie, Lake Michigan. Also, the oddest thing was that the temp when the first squall came through was 41 degrees, and the snow was able to reach the ground. Now don't tell me those dynamics werent prime for what happened i the thundersnow squall we had that day. Detroit Metro had their earliest measureable snowfall record that day, and reported blizzard conditons in the squalls.
2006-12-27 12:06:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. In fact, colorado experences them often in the mountains. Thunder-snow storms do happen.
Lightning typically does become more active in the summer where there are greater amounts of collected moisture to better build a charge between ground and clouds above. But get enough together in the Winter when heights are typically lower and typically there there is less build, and you can still get lightning in any storm in the winter.
Just recently in Oklahoma on November 28th, a blizzard moved through Northeastern Oklahoma. Just ahead of the blizzard itself several areas reported heavy sleet with vivid cloud-to-ground lightning.
Have a great night.
Brian R Cross.
2006-12-27 16:42:06 · answer #2 · answered by Brian R Cross 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's possible because I saw it; and it freaked me out.
I think it was in late October or early November (2006) I was driving on I-90 in PA (left Pittsburgh and on the way to Buffalo). It was snowing heavy, and there were cars and trucks going into ditches on the northern part of I-79 and then on I-90. I just started heading east on I-90 when the first bolt of lightning came (around 5-6pm). I thought it was power transformer that exploded somewhere or something. Then a 2nd bolt came less than 1 minute later - and that was wow! A minute or two later, a third one hit - and there was no doubt it.
I guess it was part of that lake-effect snow they get up around that area, but it was the first time in my life I had ever seen lightning during a snow storm!
2006-12-27 11:12:26 · answer #3 · answered by curly bob 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yup, it is possible to have lighting storms in winter. Providing the conditions are right. I never thought it possible either but I have seen a lighting storm in the middle of winter.
2006-12-27 15:49:27 · answer #4 · answered by percsdisco 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is absolutely possible!
Lightning is the discharging of massive amounts of static electricity between clouds or bewteen clouds and earth. While such conditions may be more common in summer, they can occur in winter and are typically associated with fairly warm, humid weather. As such, such storms may be associated with heavy falls of wet snow at temperatures near the freezing point of water.
2006-12-27 11:10:51 · answer #5 · answered by Jerry P 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it can and does snow from thunder storms in the winter seen it alot
2006-12-27 12:08:01 · answer #6 · answered by hill bill y 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have lightening storms in Central Florida in the Winter although they are more frequent in the summer.
2006-12-27 11:25:07 · answer #7 · answered by Alan Turing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Luke 17:24 "For as lightning that ligheneth out of one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven;..." It is all God's doing the lightning. Man's idea is some funny atoms or what ever...however this is what the bible says.
2006-12-27 15:09:34 · answer #8 · answered by BIblepreacher2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose it depends upon where you live. I live in the upper Midwest and I'm pretty sure we couldn't get a lightning storm because it's the wrong type of clouds. You have to have storm clouds.
2006-12-27 11:08:10 · answer #9 · answered by Carson Brooks 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yeah it's possible, I'd imagine... just some electrons going for a stroll across the other atoms.
2006-12-27 11:06:33 · answer #10 · answered by tamaleman33 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋