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Nexrad Radar systems found around the country are used by meteorologist in detecting, forecasting, and warning the public about the development of severe storms.

Thunderstorms are merely storms that produce lightning and thunder. The birth of these storms begin when warm humid air rises in an area of unstable air. There are a number of factors which can trigger the process. They include:

• Frontal uplifting
• Uneven heating of the earth's surface
• Orographic uplifting
• Diverging upper level winds

Some or all of the above factors play a part in the development of these storms. There are three stages in the development of thunderstorms. To learn about these stages and the power of these storms, visit the thunderstorm and lightning weather module page developed by the University of Illinois WW2010 Project. NOAA and NASA produced this film of thunderstorm development over the Florida peninsula during a 12 hour period. As you view this film, notice how the tops of the thunderstorms boil and produce ripple like waves.

A recent discovery with thunderstorms are red sprites and blue jets. "Red sprites and blue jets are upper atmospheric optical phenomena associated with thunderstorms that have only recently been documented using low light level television technology".