Why in winter there are no thunderstorms ever?

People always paid much attention to thunderstorms. They were connected with most of the predominant mythological images, guesses were made around their appearance. Science has understood this relatively recently - in the XVIII century. Many people are still tormented by the question: why does not there be thunderstorms in winter? Further in the article, we will deal with this.

How is the storm going?

Normal physics works here. Thunderstorm is a natural phenomenon in the layers of the atmosphere. From ordinary rainfall it differs in that during any thunderstorm there are strong electrical discharges that combine cumulus rain clouds with each other or with the earth. These categories are also accompanied by loud sounds of thunder. Often the wind increases, sometimes reaching a hurricane-hurricane threshold, there is a hail. Shortly before the beginning, air, as a rule, becomes stuffy and damp, reaches a high temperature.

Types of storms

There are two main types of thunderstorms:

• Intramuscular;

• Frontal.

Intratrass thunderstorms are caused by the abundant warming of the air and, correspondingly, the collision of hot air near the surface of the earth with cold air at the top. Because of this feature, they are quite strictly tied to the time and, as a rule, begin in the afternoon. Over the sea, they can pass at night, while moving over the heat-giving surface of the water.

Frontal thunderstorms occur when two fronts of air collide - warm and cold. It does not depend on the time of day.

The frequency of thunderstorms depends on the average temperatures in the region where they occur. The lower the temperature, the less likely they will happen. At the poles, they can be met only once every few years, and they end very quickly. Indonesia, for example, is famous for frequent long thunderstorms, which can begin more than two hundred times a year. They, however, bypass the deserts and other areas where rains rarely occur.

Why do thunderstorms occur?

The key cause of the origin of thunderstorms is just the uneven warming of the air. The higher the temperature difference between the ground and the altitude, the stronger and more often thunderstorms will occur. The question remains open: why there is no thunderstorm in the winter?

The mechanism of how this phenomenon occurs is the following: warm air from the ground, according to the law of heat exchange, tends upward, while the cold air from the upper part of the cloud, together with the ice that is contained in it, sinks down. As a result of this cycle, in the parts of the cloud that support different temperatures, there are two different-pole electrical charges: positively charged particles accumulate at the bottom, and negatively - at the top.

Each time they collide between two parts of the cloud, a huge spark jumps, which, in fact, is a lightning. The sound of the explosion with which this spark breaks the hot air, and there is a well-known thunder. The speed of light is higher than the speed of sound, so lightning and thunder do not reach us simultaneously.

Types of lightning

Everyone has seen the usual lightning-spark more than once and certainly heard about ball lightning. Nevertheless, this is not the only variety of lightning caused by thunderstorms.

There are basically four main types:

1. Lightning-sparks, beating among the clouds and not touching the ground.
2. Tape, connecting clouds and earth, are the most dangerous lightning, which should be feared most.
3. Horizontal lightning that cuts the sky below the level of clouds. They are considered especially dangerous for residents of the upper floors, because they can descend low enough, but do not touch the ground.
4. Fireballs.

Why is there no thunderstorm in cold winter?

The answer to this question is quite simple. Why does not there be thunderstorms in winter? Because of the low temperatures near the earth's surface. There is no sharp contrast between warm air heated up below, and cold air from the upper layers of the atmosphere, so the electric charge contained in the clouds is always negative. That's why there are no thunderstorms in winter.

Of course, this implies that in hot countries where the temperature in winter remains positive, they continue to occur regardless of the season. Accordingly, in the cold spots of the world, for example in the Arctic or in Antarctica, a thunderstorm is the greatest rarity, comparable to rain in the desert.

The spring thunderstorm usually begins, at the end of March or in April, when snow almost completely comes off. Its appearance means that the earth has warmed up sufficiently to give off heat and be ready for crops. Therefore, with spring thunderstorms, many people's signs are associated.

An early spring thunderstorm can be harmful to the earth: as a rule, it occurs during abnormally warm days, when the weather is not yet settled, and brings with it unnecessary humidity. After this, the ground is often frozen, it freezes and provides a bad harvest.

Precautions during thunderstorms

To avoid lightning, do not stop near high objects, especially single ones - trees, pipes and others. If possible, it is generally better not to be on a hill.

Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so the first rule for those who are overtaken by a thunderstorm is not to be in the water. After all, if lightning strikes the reservoir even at a considerable distance, the discharge will easily reach the person standing in it. The same applies to wet land, so contact with them should be minimal, and clothing and body - if possible dry.

Do not contact household appliances or mobile phones.

If a thunderstorm caught in the car - it's better not to leave it, rubber tires give good insulation.