Thunderstorms 101 | National Geographic

Thunderstorms are rain showers accompanied by ______ and ______.

They are very common, with about ______ occurring worldwide at any given moment.

______: These are small, weak, and isolated storms.

______: A common type of storm that includes a cluster of thunderstorms.

______: A collection of storms that can form a line hundreds of miles long.

______: The most intense kind of storm, capable of producing ______.

______: Warm air in the lowest parts of the atmosphere rises.

This rising air causes water from the Earth's surface to ______ and carries moisture upward.

Clouds form and grow, sometimes as tall as ______ miles high.

The clouds ______ and become heavy with water.

______: Cool, dry air from higher altitudes pulls this moisture downward.

This moisture falls as ______.

Sustain Life: They provide life-sustaining ______.

Balance Energy: They help maintain the planet's balance of ______.

Heat from evaporated water is carried upward and released into higher altitudes, which ______ the Earth's surface.

Regulate Electricity: They help regulate the ______ balance between the atmosphere and the planet.

Opposite ______ build up in clouds.

This leads to the transfer of ______ as lightning.

Lightning breaks the ______ barrier, which produces thunder.

Lightning strikes can cause ______.

Excessive rainfall can lead to ______ flooding.

High-speed winds from ______ can destroy homes.

______ study weather systems to try and predict thunderstorms to help keep communities safe.