how do thunderstorms develop on a cold night? about 2 degrees celsius outside, very loud!?

Answer 1

Greetings.

Thunderstorms can develop when there is warm and moist air meeting colder air when a cold front or some other triggering system creates enough LIFT and the conditions are right.

Usually on cold nights you have to look at what is hapening ABOVE the cold air. At 2 degrees C, or 35 degrees F, you are seeing two different things happening.

First, warm air has probably been pushed upward by a colder dome of air at the surface. There are a number of areas where you live where the temperature is 55 degrees F at around 1,500 feet and it slowly cools until you reach 8,000 feet where it abruptly cools from the colder pool of air aloft.

Soundings or weather balloon launches often are used to get an idea of what is happening aloft.

To learn more about thunderstorms and how they develop visit the source labeled below at the National Weather Service, or go to www.noaa.gov and type in your question on the "search" field on the upper right of the page. You can also visit your local National Weather Service office through www.weather.gov and click on the area where you live. In the "hazardous weather outlook" sometimes non-technical data appears there to give you a brief explanation of what is happening.

On Yahoo, I own, moderate, and am a member of various weather groups where there are meteorologists such as myself who are involved in the science of weather. We can usually answer many questions that members have. Feel free to visit these groups by first going to my Yahoo 360 page. At the bottom of the page you will find a list of these owned, moderated, recognized, and member groups you may join or just read.

Please be advised that in your area you will most likely get very near freezing before this ends. Some sleet, and small hail may be seen from some of these storms. Be sure and visit your local national weather service office and get your latest forecasts by going to www.weather.gov and on the LEFT side enter your zip code for faster service.

If you have any questions feel free to write me back.

Brian R Cross

Answer 2

When the weather is around zero degrees celcius an indication of real dry air tends to appear. A breeze then begins to occur which then delivers moisture from the gulf. Then you get your rain.

Answer 3

Eww. I do not know. I can say that I am very happy to not be in your neck of the woods tonight. I've heard that before and it is the weirdest thing. Weather at its ultimate scariest.

Answer 4

This happens when a cold front overtakes a warm front.