thunderstorm

[ thuhn-der-stawrm ]

noun

1. a transient storm of lightning and thunder, usually with rain and gusty winds, sometimes with hail or snow, produced by cumulonimbus clouds.

thunderstorm

/ ˈθʌndəˌstɔːm /

noun

1. a storm caused by strong rising air currents and characterized by thunder and lightning and usually heavy rain or hail

thunderstorm

/ thŭn′dər-stôrm′ /

1. A storm of heavy rain accompanied by lightning, thunder, wind, and sometimes hail. Thunderstorms occur when moist air near the ground becomes heated, especially in the summer, and rises, forming cumulonimbus clouds that produce precipitation. Electrical charges accumulate at the bases of the clouds until lightning is discharged. Air in the path of the lightning expands as a result of being heated, causing thunder. Thunderstorms can also be caused by temperature changes triggered by volcanic eruptions and forest fires, and they occur with much greater frequency at the equatorial regions than in polar regions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thunderstorm¹

First recorded in 1645–55; thunder + storm

Example Sentences

But meteorologists say that predicting the path of fast moving, intense thunderstorms is a very tricky business.

From BBC

She warned some thunderstorms may arrive on Tuesday, “when there will be sharp showers, with top temperatures of around 17C”.

From BBC

US forecasters are currently watching an area of thunderstorms located over the Cabo Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa.

From BBC

They often happen in thunderstorms in rain bands away from the eye of the storm - typically forming in the right quadrant of a storm, the weather service notes.

From BBC

Typically they begin as what is known as a tropical wave - a low pressure area where thunderstorms and clouds develop.

From BBC

Related Words

• deluge
• downpour
• drizzle
• flood
• hail
• rain
• rainstorm
• sleet
• storm