On average, there are about 100,000 thunderstorms in the United States every year and incredibly, about 10,000 of these storms are severe. 40,000 thunderstorms form every day around the world and there are about 1,800 thunderstorms occurring on the planet as you read this article.
Thunderstorms are one of nature’s ways of distributing the sun’s energy. The Earth heats up unevenly and thunderstorms are one of the ways the atmosphere can become more balanced. Thunderstorms appear to be very large when you are in one, but on a planetary scale, they are very small.
It is sometimes hard to believe that you can start the day with beautiful weather and then all of sudden, a thunderstorm develops and it turns dark enough for street lights to come on. Bolts of electricity reaching temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit zig zag across the sky and sometimes hit the earth resulting in a shower of sparks and starting fires.
Heavy rain can turn your quiet street into a raging river and large hail can rip your trees and garden into shreds while breaking your vehicles windshield and damaging your roof. Winds over 60 mph can also bring down large trees and damage buildings.
Sometimes the most powerful winds on earth will devastate a neighborhood and change lives forever. And then, the storm is over and the sun comes out and the birds sing again and all that is left is the cleanup.