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THUNDERSTORM  ELECTRICITY  AND LIGHTNING
THUNDERSTORM  ALTIMETRY

Aerographers Mate 1 & C
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Figure  5-1.-Location  of  electric  charges  inside  a  typical  thunderstorm  cell. conditions  listed  below  are  generally  representative  of many  (but  not  necessarily  all)  thunderstorms. .  The  chance  of  severe  or  extreme  turbulence within  thunderstorms  is  greatest  at  higher  altitudes,  with most cases of severe and extreme turbulence about 8,000 to 15,000 feet above ground level (AGL). The least turbulence may be expected when flying at or just below  the  base  of  the  main  thunderstorm  cloud.  (The latter rule would not be true over rough terrain or in mountainous   areas   where   strong   eddy   currents produced by strong surface winds would extend the turbulence up to a higher level.) l  The  heaviest  turbulence  is  closely  associated with the areas of heaviest rain. . The strongest updrafts are found at heights of about  10,000  feet  AGL  or  more;  in  extreme  cases, updrafts   in   excess   of   65   feet   per   second   occur. 5-3 Downdrafts are less severe, but downdrafts on the order of 20 feet per second are quite common. l  The  probability  of  lightning  strikes  occurring  is greatest near or slightly above the freezing level. Because  of  the  potential  hazards  of  flying  in  a thunderstorm, it is obviously nothing short of folly for pilots  to  attempt  to  fly  in  thunderstorms,  unless operationally  necessary. THUNDERSTORM SURFACE PHENOMENA The  rapid  change  in  wind  direction  and  speed immediately   before   thunderstorm   passage   is   a significant surface hazard associated with thunderstorm activity.   The   strong   winds   that   accompany thunderstorm  passage  are  the  result  of  horizontal spreading of downdraft currents from within the storm as it approaches the ground.







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