KVRR Weather School: Where do Thunderstorms Come From?

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It’s Sunday and that means it’s time for KVRR’s Weather School with Chief Meteorologist Rob Kupec.

Our question comes from Calie, a 5th grader at Glyndon Elementary.

Why do we have thunderstorms?

Well, let’s just start with the basic thing.

The sun heats up the earth and warm air rises.

It cools as it goes up into the atmosphere and it condenses and turns into clouds.

But why do you sometimes get thunder and lightning?

Sometimes when the air rises quickly, it bumps into each other and you get a static charge.

That charge has to discharge and it goes into the ground or jumps from cloud to cloud.

But that’s where you get the thunderstorm.

Thank you to Calie Berg from Glyndon Elementary for her Weather School Question!