Storms are very important things that affect our lives a great deal. They are the most dramatic, most dangerous, and the most feared of all weather phenomena.

    In just a few minutes these clouds may grow to several miles wide and 40,000 or more feet high. There are many more parts of a storm, such as lightning.

          

    Lightning is an electrical discharge in a storm. The discharge is caused when the clouds are charged with electricity. One myth from long ago is that lightning was caused when the mighty god, Thor, threw his hammer and caused a loud noise. These lightning bolts strike earth over 100 times every second.

 

    These every day storms are formed by moist air near the earth’s surface that is heated by the sun. In 20 minutes one storm can drop 125 million gallons of water. Some of these storms are very visible, but some are made up of several cells in a row called a squal line, each lasts for 15 or 20 minutes. Each year there are about 16 million thunderstorms around the world.