What are the different storm formations?

Storms can take on many different shapes and forms, from massive hurricanes to tiny tropical storms. But what exactly causes a storm to form in the first place? And how do they get their distinctive shape? Read on to find out…

The birth of a storm: Warm air rises

All storms start with an area of low pressure. This is caused by warm air rising into the atmosphere faster than the surrounding air can replace it. The warm air rises because it is less dense than the cooler air around it – think of how a balloon filled with hot air will float up into the sky.

As this warm air rises, it starts to cool off and condense into clouds. These clouds can be very small at first, but if there is enough warm moist air rising upwards, they will grow larger and darker as more water droplets join together. Eventually, these clouds will become so big and heavy that they will start to fall back down towards Earth’s surface. As they do so, they pick up speed and turn into raindrops or hailstones. And voilà – you have yourself a thunderstorm!

Different types of thunderstorm: Single-cell and multi-cell storms

Thunderstorms come in two main varieties: single-cell and multi-cell storms. Single-cell storms form from just one updraft (area of rising air), whereas multi-cell storms have several updrafts that merge together over time. Let’s take a closer look at each type…

Single-cell thunderstorms: These are the most common type of thunderstorm and usually last for around 30 minutes or so. They tend to be relatively small in size (around 10 miles across) with just one main updraft in the center. Most severe weather conditions associated with thunderstorms – such as strong winds, hail or tornadoes – occur within single-cell storms.

Multi-cell thunderstorms: These develop when several single- celled thunderstorms merge together over time to form one large storm system. They can last for several hours and often produce heavy rains along with strong winds and hailstone showers . Multi – cell storms are much larger in size than single – celled ones , sometimes spanning hundreds of miles across .