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Do your kids know what thunder and lightening is? Do they know that they should follow specific tips during lightening times in order to stay safe and protect themselves? We are going to educate them and let them know more about this weather condition through the information Aaron will share with James in this video.
A lot of kids get frightened when they hear the sound of thunder and realize that there is lightning outside as well and they start asking their parents about what that is and why does it happen. Aaron was good enough at sharing some important information with James about thunder and lightning and told him all what he knows about this weather condition.
The sound of thunder and lightning happens because of a thunderstorm which is produced by cumulonimbus clouds, this word is Latin and it is divided into two parts: cumulus which means pile and nimbus which means rain cloud. The cumulonimbus clouds usually produce gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail.
Cumulonimbus clouds is considered the perfect name given to this weather condition because these clouds are known as large, tall clouds that are dark on the bottom and usually produce rain and thunderstorms. These clouds in fact sometimes are referred to as thunderstorm clouds, but they can also bring other kinds of weather that include hail and snow showering.
Did you know that there are different types of clouds up there in the sky? This is not just a piece of information for the kids, but some adults are also not aware of the different clouds that are found there.
There is the cirrus clouds which are the most common of high clouds. These clouds are made of ice and they are thin, wispy clouds that are usually white. They always say that if a person sees the cirrus clouds, he/she should be sure of a pleasant weather for the day.
There is also the stratus clouds which are uniform, grayish clouds that often cover the entire sky and they look like a fog that doesn't reach the ground. The stratus clouds are those that create light mist or drizzle.
And there is the cumulus clouds which are white, puffy ones that look like pieces of cotton floating up in the sky. As James have said, they might look like cotton candy when one gets to look at them. These clouds are often referred to as "fair-weather clouds" and these are the ones that could turn to cumulonimbus clouds which are the thunderstorms that bring the thunder and lightning at the end.
As a kid, it is important to differentiate between the thunder and the lightning. Thunder is the sound that is caused by the lightning and lightening is the bright flash of electricity that is produced by the thunderstorm. It is important to know that hearing the sound of thunder means that you might not be safe and should take care because lightning actually kills and injures more people each year than hurricanes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye0wWBOKIZY) and tornadoes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWA9dpLtNrU), and this is one of the things that people are not even aware of.
There are some tips that kids should follow to keep themselves safe if there is thunder and lightning: they should immediately get inside a car or a building, they should never stand in a pool of water, should never stand under or close to a tree, if you are within a group of people make sure to stand within 15 feet and if you are inside a home, you should stay away from water and from all the electronic devices that you might be using.
Let your kids educate themselves and share the information they gain with their friends!
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Aaron, I'm frightened. What is all that noise outside?
Don't worry, it's just a thunderstorm.
What is a thunderstorm?
A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder.
It is produced by cumulonimbus clouds, usually producing gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail.
What is a cumulonimbus cloud?
The word cumulonimbus is formed from two words, cumulus meaning pile in Latin and nimbus meaning rain cloud.
These words describe a cumulonimbus cloud perfectly because these clouds usually bring rain or other wet weather.
Cumulonimbus clouds are large, tall clouds that are dark on the bottom and usually produce rain and thunderstorms.
In fact, they are sometimes called thunderstorm clouds but they can also bring different types of weather like hail and snow showers.
I didn't know there is different types of cloud.
Yes, the three most common clouds are
Cirrus clouds are the most common of the high clouds. They are made of ice and are thin, wispy clouds.
Cirrus clouds are usually white and if you see them you can almost be sure of pleasant weather.
Stratus clouds are uniform, greyish clouds that often cover the entire sky.
They look like fog that doesn't reach the ground. These clouds create light, mist or drizzle.
Cumulus clouds are white, puffy clouds that look like pieces of floating cotton.
I knew I was right!
Clouds are made out of cotton candy or white candy floss.
Damn, it's not cotton candy although they do look similar.
Cumulus clouds are often called fair weather clouds.
The base of each cloud is flat and the top of each cloud has rounded towers.
The tops of the cumulus clouds look like the head of a cauliflower.
These clouds grow upward and they can develop into giant cumulus nimbus clouds which are thunderstorm clouds.
So what actually is thunder?
Thunder is the sound caused by lightning.
The intense heat from lightning causes the surrounding air to rapidly expand and create a sonic wave that you hear as thunder.
So what is lightning?
Damn, you really are full of questions tonight.
Lightning is a bright flash of electricity produced by a thunderstorm.
Look out the window, you'll see some soon.
All thunderstorms produce lightning and are very dangerous.
If you hear the sound of thunder, then you are in danger from lightning.
Lightning kills and injures more people each year than hurricanes or tornadoes.
Electricity like in a flood?
Yes, you're on the right track.
Lightning happens when ice and water particles bump around inside thunderclouds.
As they bump into each other, they create an electric charge.
When the charge connects with electricity on the ground, lightning strikes.
Wow, that's a lot. When do thunderstorms occur?
Thunderstorms can occur year-round at all hours.
But they are most likely to happen in the spring and summer months and during the afternoon and evening hours.
Like this evening?
I didn't even realise that there would be a thunderstorm.
That's why I was so scared.
Actually, if you see dark clouds, then lightning could be present.
But the best thing you can do to listen for thunder.
If you can hear thunder, then you need to go indoors or get in a car.
Don't be outside where lightning could strike.
If your hair stands on end, your skin starts to tingle.
Lightning may be about to strike.
Get down on your hands and knees and keep your head tucked in.
Do not lay flat because it can give lightning a better chance of striking you.
And definitely don't stand beside a tree.
I can't. I did hear thunder first.
But my hair seems fine.
Did you know that you can use thunder to tell how far away a storm is?
Next time you see thunder and lightning, count the number of seconds between when you see the lightning and hear the thunder.
Take the number of seconds and divide by five.
And that will tell you how far away the storm is in miles.
For example, if you counted 20 seconds between the lightning and the thunder, the lightning is four miles away.
Wow, that's really clever.
I'm going to try that.
Are you still afraid, James?
A little bit.
I'm just not sure how to stay safe in a thunderstorm.
Don't worry, I'll look after you.
But in the future, if you're outdoors, keep an eye at the sky.
Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning or increasing winds.
Lightning often comes after the rain.
So don't wait for the rain to begin.
If you hear the sound of thunder, go to a safe place immediately.
The best place to go is a sturdy building or a car.
But make sure the windows in the car are shut.
If there is no shelter around you, stay away from trees.
If you're with a group of people, stay about 15 feet from each other.
Stay out of water, because it's a great conductor of electricity.
Also, don't stand in pools and avoid metal.
If you're indoors, avoid water.
It's a great conductor of electricity.
So don't take a shower, wash your hands, wash dishes or do laundry.
Do not use a corded telephone.
Lightning may strike exterior phone lines.
Do not use electric equipment like computers and appliances during a storm.
Stay away from windows and doors and stay off porches.
If someone is struck by lightning, call for help.
Call the police or send for help immediately.
The injured person does not carry an electrical charge, so it is OK to touch them.
Now I know how to stay safe in a storm.
I feel so much better. Thank you, Aaron.
I hope you enjoyed learning about thunder and lightning.
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