With the onset of the rainy season, thunderstorms generally follow.
However, why is heavy rain prone to thunderstorms? This is because the occurrence of thunderstorms is generally related to the development of cumulonimbus clouds, let's take a look at the causes behind it!
When warm and moist air rises under the influence of solar heat or air currents, water vapour will gradually condense into water droplets and ice crystals. As the updraft further strengthens and develops into a deep cumulonimbus cloud, the water droplets and ice crystals in the cloud will become charged by the collision, and when the voltage between the positive and negative charges reaches a certain level, there will be a discharge between the clouds or between the clouds and the ground, which is called lightning. In addition, along with the huge amount of heat energy generated by the lightning process, the surrounding air expands dramatically, creating the rumbling thunder we hear.
The life cycle of a thunderstorm, from the development of a cumulonimbus cloud to its dissipation, generally takes about an hour, with less than 30 minutes for lightning to occur. But why do thunderstorms sometimes seem to affect for a long time? This is because there are several cumulonimbus clouds in succession, which makes lightning appear longer and more unpredictable.
As thunderstorms can endanger human life, members of the public are reminded to pay attention to thunderstorm warnings when engaging in outdoor activities, stay away from objects that are prone to conductive electricity, avoid staying on open mountain tops, flat areas and waters, and do not stand under trees or lampposts.
Source: Geophysical and Meteorological Administration