SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pilot-thunderstorm-ingredients

Which three ingredients does a thunderstorm need to form?

Water vapor, unstable air and a lifting mechanism.

  1. Cold air, high pressure and strong wind
  2. Water vapor, unstable air and a lifting mechanism ✔
  3. Fog, a warm front and calm wind

Why: Moisture provides the fuel, unstable air lets rising air keep rising, and something must give it a first push upward. That lift can come from fronts, mountains, daytime heating or sea breezes.

Huh, didn't know that: A single thunderstorm cell's whole life cycle typically lasts about 30 minutes.

The dad joke
What type of lightning likes to play sports? Ball lightning.
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Sources

  1. FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B), Chapter 22 https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/FAA-H-8083-28B.pdf

Test yourself in the game

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That's stuff everyone should know.