Why does the wind stop blowing right before a thunderstorm, then pick up again?

Answer 1

The prototypical scenario for thunderstorms involves the approach of an upper level trough from the west. Vorticity advection in the jet stream induces cyclogenesis at the surface. A surface low deepens, and the wind blows from the south or southeast as storms near.

The Forward Flank Downdraft quadrant of a supercell, or the gust front of a squall line, engender winds that blow from the west or northwest. Behind these are the updraft regions of the storm, but the first thing that most folks encounter as a storm threatens is these cold W/NW winds.

There is a boundary between any two masses of air and/or winds, where the transition from one set of parameters to another occurs. This can be gradual or dramatic.

Usually, as the S/SE winds transition to W/NW winds, there is a short period of calm, but "short" can be defined in seconds or minutes.

Again, this is just the "typical" scenario.

Answer 2

If you can see the cloud base (its not raining), and the wind stops blowing, you are likely beneath the updraft of the storm, where air is ascending (thus little horizontal component). Once the thunderstorm produces a downdraft (rain shaft), rain-cooled air spreads out from the thunderstorm, in which case there will likely be wind as the storm approaches. Also, severe thunderstorms can produce intense inflow of air into the updraft, resulting in windy conditions even before the thunderstorm arrives. In other words, the wind does not always stop blowing before a thundestorm. When it does, it is usually when you are beneath the updraft, and the thunderstorm has not yet produced a downdraft (rain shaft) of rain-cooled air.

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Answer 3

Where I live, the wind does not typically stop right before the storm. It blows in like a banshee and by the time the rain stops, the wind has stopped also. I guess all thunderstorms are not alike!

Answer 4

A thunderstorm has rapidly rising air, updrafts, and rapidly descending air, downdrafts. The downdrafts are produced by friction with falling rain or hail and also by rapid cooling of the air by the absorption of latent heat to melt ice crystals into water and to evaporate water. When the downdrafts reach the ground, they have only one way to go and that is outward from the base of the storm.

The downdraft blows out from the base of the storm and can be very strong indeed but underneath the storm itself, the air is descending around you, not blowing horizontally so there is little sense of motion.

Answer 5

Wind blows simply because there is a difference in air pressure between 2 areas, and you are between them. When the wind stops IMMEDIATELY before a T-storm, it is because there is no significant differences in air pressure in areas around you. But as soon as the storm moves over you, there is an immediate differential created because the storm carries relatively low air pressure at its center. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

The rising warm air forms a partial vacuum, which pulls cold air from high above. That helps drive the rain down. But this partial vacuum also pulls in air from all sides of the storm front. Air moving away from the partial vacuum gets pulled back – so effectively that part of the storm is calmed. This is the “calm before the storm” that people talk about.

Answer 7

It in no way stops blowing, and Breezey knows this. The wind is often there, shifting and whispering. It in no way dies, it in basic terms alters it particularly is direction and rigidity in accordance to the will of nature. there is usually a wisp of the wind interior the air someplace.