"Windstorm" redirects here.

For other uses, see Windstorm (disambiguation).

For other uses, see Storm (disambiguation).

A shelf cloud, associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm, over Swedish island of Öland in the Baltic
Sea in July 2005.

Part of a series on

Weather

show

Temperate and polar seasons

show

Tropical seasons

show

Storms

show
 Precipitation

show

Topics

show

Glossaries

 Weather portal

 v
 t
 e

A storm is any disturbed state of an environment or in an astronomical

body's atmosphere especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather. It may
be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as
strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm),
heavy precipitation (snowstorm, rainstorm), heavy freezing rain (ice storm), strong winds (tropical
cyclone, windstorm), or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere as in a dust
storm, blizzard, sandstorm, etc.
Storms have the potential to harm lives and property via storm surge,
heavy rain or snow causing flooding or road impassibility, lightning, wildfires, and vertical wind
shear. Systems with significant rainfall and duration help alleviate drought in places they move
through. Heavy snowfall can allow special recreational activities to take place which would not be
possible otherwise, such as skiing and snowmobiling.

Desert storms are often accompanied by violent winds, and pass rapidly.[1]

The English word comes from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz meaning "noise, tumult".[2]

 Lightning storm, Port-la-Nouvelle.

Storms are created when a center of low pressure develops with the system of high
pressure surrounding it. This combination of opposing forces can create winds and result in the
formation of storm clouds such as cumulonimbus. Small localized areas of low pressure can form
from hot air rising off hot ground, resulting in smaller disturbances such as dust
devils and whirlwinds.

Contents

 1Types
 2Classification
 3Extraterrestrial storms
 4Effects on human society
o 4.1Agriculture
o 4.2Aviation
o 4.3Recreation
 5Notable storms in art and culture
o 5.1In mythology and literature
o 5.2In fine art
o 5.3In motion pictures
o 5.4In music
 6Gallery
 7See also
 8References
 9External links

Types

Classic summer storm in Sierras de Córdoba, Argentina.

Typhoon Haiyan, a massive tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines in late 2013.

A tornado in Binger, Oklahoma during the 1981 outbreak.

A massive thunderstorm rises up from the inland empire, California, and threatens the Mojave desert.

There are many varieties and names for storms:

 Blizzard – There are varying definitions for blizzards, both over time and by location. In
general, a blizzard is accompanied by gale-force winds, heavy snow (accumulating at a rate
of at least 5 centimeters (2 in) per hour), and very cold conditions (below approximately −10
degrees Celsius or 14 F). Lately, the temperature criterion has fallen out of the definition
across the United States[3]
 Bomb cyclone – A rapid deepening of a mid-latitude cyclonic low-pressure area, typically
occurring over the ocean, but can occur over land. The winds experienced during these
storms can be as powerful as that of a typhoon or hurricane.
 Coastal Storm – Large wind waves and/or storm surge that strike the coastal zone. Their
impacts include coastal erosion and coastal flooding[4]
 Derecho – A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is
associated with a land-based, fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms.
 Dust devil – A small, localized updraft of rising air.
 Dust storm – A situation in which winds pick up large quantities of sand or soil, greatly
reducing the visibility
 Firestorm – Firestorms are conflagrations which attain such intensity that they create and
sustain their own wind systems. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during
some of the largest bushfires, forest fires, and wildfires. The Peshtigo Fire is one example of
a firestorm. Firestorms can also be deliberate effects of targeted explosives such as
occurred as a result of the aerial bombings of Dresden. Nuclear detonations generate
firestorms if high winds are not present.
 Gale – An extratropical storm with sustained winds between 34–48 knots (39–55 mph or
63–90 km/h).[5]
 Hailstorm – A type of storm that precipitates round chunks of ice. Hailstorms usually
occur during regular thunderstorms. While most of the hail that precipitates from the clouds is
fairly small and virtually harmless, there are occasional occurrences of hail greater than
2 inches (5 cm) in diameter that can cause much damage and injuries.
 Hypercane – A hypothetical tropical cyclone that could potentially form over 50 °C
(122 °F) water. Such a storm would produce winds of over 800 km/h (500 mph). A series of
hypercanes may have formed during the asteroid or comet impact that killed the non-avian
dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Such a phenomenon could also occur during a supervolcanic
eruption, or extreme global warming.
 Ice storm – [6] Ice storms are one of the most dangerous forms of winter storms. When
surface temperatures are below freezing, but a thick layer of above-freezing air remains aloft,
rain can fall into the freezing layer and freeze upon impact into a glaze of ice. In general, 8
millimetres (0.31 in) of accumulation is all that is required, especially in combination with
breezy conditions, to start downing power lines as well as tree limbs.[7] Ice storms also make
unheated road surfaces too slick to drive upon. Ice storms can vary in time range from hours
to days and can cripple small towns and large metropolitan cities alike.
 Microburst – A very powerful windstorm produced during a thunderstorm that only lasts a
few minutes.
 Ocean Storm or sea storm – Storm conditions out at sea are defined as having sustained
winds of 48 knots (55 mph or 90 km/h) or greater.[5] Usually just referred to as a storm, these
systems can sink vessels of all types and sizes.
 Snowstorm – A heavy fall of snow accumulating at a rate of more than 5 centimeters
(2 in) per hour that lasts several hours. Snow storms, especially ones with a high liquid
equivalent and breezy conditions, can down tree limbs, cut off power connections and
paralyze travel over large regions.
 Squall – Sudden onset of wind increase of at least 16 knots (30 km/h) or greater
sustained for at least one minute.
 Thunderstorm – A thunderstorm is a type of storm that generates
both lightning and thunder. It is normally accompanied by heavy precipitation.
Thunderstorms occur throughout the world, with the highest frequency
in tropical rainforest regions where there are conditions of high humidity and temperature
along with atmospheric instability. These storms occur when high levels of condensation
form in a volume of unstable air that generates deep, rapid, upward motion in the
atmosphere. The heat energy creates powerful rising air currents that swirl upwards to
the tropopause. Cool descending air currents produce strong downdraughts below the storm.
After the storm has spent its energy, the rising currents die away and downdraughts break
up the cloud. Individual storm clouds can measure 2–10 km across.
 Tornado – A tornado is a violent, destructive whirlwind storm occurring on land. Usually
its appearance is that of a dark, funnel-shaped cloud. Often tornadoes are preceded by or
associated with thunderstorms and a wall cloud. They are often called the most destructive
of storms, and while they form all over the planet, the interior of the United States is the most
prone area, especially throughout Tornado Alley.
 Tropical cyclone – A tropical cyclone is a storm system with a closed circulation around a
centre of low pressure, fueled by the heat released when moist air rises and condenses. The
name underscores its origin in the tropics and their cyclonic nature. Tropical cyclones are
distinguished from other cyclonic storms such as nor'easters and polar lows by the heat
mechanism that fuels them, which makes them "warm core" storm systems. Tropical
 cyclones form in the oceans if the conditions in the area are favorable, and depending on
their strength and location, there are various terms by which they are called, such as tropical
depression, tropical storm, hurricane and typhoon.[8]
 Wind storm – A storm marked by high wind with little or no precipitation.[9] Windstorm
damage often opens the door for massive amounts of water and debris to cause further
damage to a structure.[10] European windstorms and derechos are two type of windstorms.
[11]
 High wind is also the cause of sandstorms in dry climates.

Classification