Lesson 2 Notes: Storms
Terms to know: thunderstorm, vortex, funnel cloud, tornado, hurricane, typhoon,
cyclone, eye, eye wall, and NWR
Fill in the definitions/important information under each term as we learn it in class.
Thunderstorm: is a disturbance in the Earth’s atmosphere that usually occurs as
warm humid air rises and creates an unstable atmosphere.
Thunderstorms usually involve:
 gusty winds
 heavy rain
 lightning
 thunder
Vortex: the movement of liquid or gas in a spiral around a central axis.
Causes of a vortex:
 uneven heating of earth’s surfaces
 the force of gravity
 earth’s rotation
Funnel cloud: rapidly rotating cloud that becomes visible as a funnel at the base
of a thundercloud.
Tornado (also called a twister): happens when funnel cloud’s circulation comes
in contact with the ground.
 violent windstorm
 spirals around an intense low pressure vortex
 moves in a narrow path over land
Three appearances of a tornado
1. twisting ropelike funnel
2. cylindrical funnel
3. massive black funnel
Hurricane: massive rotating storm that originates over tropical oceans and has
sustained winds of more than 119 km per hour. They can affect a larger region
than a tornado.
Where hurricanes develop?
 North of equator in Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean
 Summer and early fall
 Northern hemisphere is tilted toward sun
When is hurricane season? (June - November)
Hurricanes have different names in different places….
 Typhoon – north of equator and in western Pacific Ocean
 Cyclone – forms in Indian Ocean or off Australia
Hurricane Parts:
Eye: center of hurricane
 Rising temperatures
 Low winds
 No rainfall
 Low pressure
 Bright sky with high clouds
Eye wall: Ring of spiraling clouds and thunderstorms that whirl around the
storm’s center extending approx. 15km above sea level.
 Heaviest precipitation
 Strongest winds
National Weather Service: collects data from different sources such as weather
satellites (Doppler radar and aircraft) and sends information to weather centers to
help meteorologist make good weather predictions.
Lesson 2 Notes: Storms Terms to Know
Fill in the definitions and important information under each term as we learn it in
class.
__________________ : is a disturbance in the Earth’s atmosphere that usually
occurs as warm humid air rises and creates an unstable atmosphere.
Thunderstorms usually involve:
 __________________
 __________________
 __________________
 __________________
Vortex: _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Causes of a vortex:
 uneven heating of earth’s surfaces
 the force of gravity
 earth’s rotation
Funnel cloud: _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Tornado: _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
 _________________________________
 spirals around an intense low pressure vortex
 _________________________________
Three appearances of a tornado
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
________________: massive rotating storm that originates over tropical oceans
and has sustained winds of more than 119 km per hour. They can affect a larger
region than a tornado.
Where hurricanes develop?
 North of equator in Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean
 ____________________________
 Northern hemisphere is tilted toward sun
When is hurricane season? _________________________
Hurricanes have different names in different places….
 ______________ – north of equator and in western Pacific Ocean
 ______________ – forms in Indian Ocean or off Australia
Hurricane Parts:
Eye: _____________________________
 Rising temperatures
 Low winds
 No rainfall
 Low pressure
 Bright sky with high clouds
______________: Ring of spiraling clouds and thunderstorms that whirl
around the storm’s center extending approx. 15km above sea level.
 Heaviest precipitation
 Strongest winds
_____________________________: collects data from different sources such as
weather satellites (Doppler radar and aircraft) and sends information to weather
centers to help meteorologist make good weather predictions.