Nighttime Thunderstorms: Unraveling Their Mysteries | National Geographic

we know a lot about what causes

we know a lot about what causes thunderstorms to start you know

thunderstorms to start you know

thunderstorms to start you know producing rainfall during the day but we

producing rainfall during the day but we

producing rainfall during the day but we don’t know as much about how that

don’t know as much about how that

don’t know as much about how that happens at night so that’s what we’re

happens at night so that’s what we’re

happens at night so that’s what we’re trying to figure out because it’s

trying to figure out because it’s

trying to figure out because it’s different

the what we call MCS missions are us

the what we call MCS missions are us trying to launch balloons near

trying to launch balloons near

trying to launch balloons near thunderstorms that have already formed

thunderstorms that have already formed

thunderstorms that have already formed and organized a lot and are already

and organized a lot and are already

and organized a lot and are already producing heavy rainfall at lightning

producing heavy rainfall at lightning

producing heavy rainfall at lightning potentially damaging winds

a lot of times what happens in

a lot of times what happens in meteorologists you know we sort of have

meteorologists you know we sort of have

meteorologists you know we sort of have these broad understanding of what’s

these broad understanding of what’s

these broad understanding of what’s happening and the fine scale details are

happening and the fine scale details are

happening and the fine scale details are really what comes in to the

really what comes in to the

really what comes in to the predictability of severity or formation

predictability of severity or formation

predictability of severity or formation or longevity those are still a lot of

or longevity those are still a lot of

or longevity those are still a lot of what we’re trying to understand

there’s a lot of questions that we have

there’s a lot of questions that we have remaining because instabilities that are

remaining because instabilities that are

remaining because instabilities that are near the surface during the daytime

near the surface during the daytime

near the surface during the daytime aren’t really there during the nighttime

aren’t really there during the nighttime

aren’t really there during the nighttime so how those are sustained over night

so how those are sustained over night

so how those are sustained over night and support systems is a big question

and support systems is a big question

and support systems is a big question picons working at answering the typical

picons working at answering the typical

picons working at answering the typical mechanism in the afternoon is sun’s out

mechanism in the afternoon is sun’s out

mechanism in the afternoon is sun’s out it’s heating up the ground there’s

it’s heating up the ground there’s

it’s heating up the ground there’s moisture some source of lift in the

moisture some source of lift in the

moisture some source of lift in the atmosphere and those ingredients come

atmosphere and those ingredients come

atmosphere and those ingredients come together and storms will form and the

together and storms will form and the

together and storms will form and the kind of obvious source for the energy is

kind of obvious source for the energy is

kind of obvious source for the energy is the heating up of the ground at night of

the heating up of the ground at night of

the heating up of the ground at night of course that isn’t there anymore the

course that isn’t there anymore the

course that isn’t there anymore the grounds actually cooling and getting

grounds actually cooling and getting

grounds actually cooling and getting more stable but what can happen at night

more stable but what can happen at night

more stable but what can happen at night is the combination of this low-level jet

is the combination of this low-level jet

is the combination of this low-level jet these strong winds up above the surface

these strong winds up above the surface

these strong winds up above the surface that are bringing in warm moist air and

that are bringing in warm moist air and

that are bringing in warm moist air and a variety of other processes that we’re

a variety of other processes that we’re

a variety of other processes that we’re really trying to understand in this

really trying to understand in this

really trying to understand in this experiment

one of the simplest things to understand

one of the simplest things to understand about severe weather our thunderstorms

about severe weather our thunderstorms

about severe weather our thunderstorms is they’re there for a reason

is they’re there for a reason

is they’re there for a reason and tornadoes are there for a reason the

and tornadoes are there for a reason the

and tornadoes are there for a reason the atmosphere gets out of balance it’s too

atmosphere gets out of balance it’s too

atmosphere gets out of balance it’s too warm down below too cold loft and so a

warm down below too cold loft and so a

warm down below too cold loft and so a thunder storm quickly takes warm air up

thunder storm quickly takes warm air up

thunder storm quickly takes warm air up and it also brings cold air down so now

and it also brings cold air down so now

and it also brings cold air down so now you’ve got the atmosphere bringing

you’ve got the atmosphere bringing

you’ve got the atmosphere bringing itself into balance the more out of

itself into balance the more out of

itself into balance the more out of balance the quicker way to do the

balance the quicker way to do the

balance the quicker way to do the transfer is through thunderstorms being

transfer is through thunderstorms being

transfer is through thunderstorms being able to get more observations being able

able to get more observations being able

able to get more observations being able to get a better understanding of what

to get a better understanding of what

to get a better understanding of what type of environment really does let

type of environment really does let

type of environment really does let these severe winds get to the surface

these severe winds get to the surface

these severe winds get to the surface when a forecaster has a type of

when a forecaster has a type of

when a forecaster has a type of information so when the forecaster sees

information so when the forecaster sees

information so when the forecaster sees a certain environmental profile or sees

a certain environmental profile or sees

a certain environmental profile or sees maybe a certain structure on the radar

maybe a certain structure on the radar

maybe a certain structure on the radar we’ll have filled in that understanding

we’ll have filled in that understanding

we’ll have filled in that understanding of why that structure is occurring or

of why that structure is occurring or

of why that structure is occurring or why that environment might be more

why that environment might be more

why that environment might be more conducive for winds getting to the

conducive for winds getting to the

conducive for winds getting to the surface as opposed to a different type

surface as opposed to a different type

surface as opposed to a different type of environment