Thunderstorm

weather · lightning · clouds

Lightning and thunder. A thunderstorm is a storm with both lightning and thunder. Sometimes weaker ones are gently called thundershowers.

Born in giant clouds. Thunderstorms grow inside huge, towering clouds called cumulonimbus, which can reach high into the sky.

All kinds of weather. They usually bring strong winds and heavy rain, and sometimes snow, sleet, or chunks of ice called hail.

Spinning supercells. The most powerful, long-lasting storms are called supercells, and they actually rotate like a cyclone.

Storms in a row. Sometimes thunderstorms line up in a series called a squall line, marching across the land together.