Only one lightning-related death has happened on state soil in the last decade. Areas of intense rainfall (darker reds) associated with heavier thunderstorms are located over northeast Texas, western Kentucky, and eastern Tennessee. Didn't expect "The Show Me State" to rank this high? Texas not only benefits from Gulf moisture like the other southern states on our list, but the climate variation within the state itself is a trigger for severe weather. With their largely humid subtropical climates, the Southeastern states are no strangers to thunderstorms and their accompanying lightning. The warm air interacted with strong, upper-level winds. Stacker set out to find the places in America most impacted by severe weather. These images, based on data collected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (known as TRMM), show the flood-producing rains. Not only does it sit at a crossroads of mixing air masses, but the polar jet stream often flows near or over the state, creating an expressway of … Although Florida ranks as the #2 state with the most lightning strikes, it is often called the "Lightning Capital of the World." Lakeland, Florida averages 100 thunderstorm days a year, the most of any significant city in the entire country. When you think of Louisiana, hurricanes, not lightning, may first come to mind. Lake Victoria, Uganda. Hailstorms are caused when updrafts in a thunderstorm carry water to high altitudes, where the water freezes into pellets, eventually becoming so heavy that they fall to Earth. It is also one of the most … In far West Texas, a near-desert climate exists, but as you move east, a more humid subtropical climate reigns. Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Stacker sorted a decade of storm events large and small from 2008 to 2017, weighting all of them equally, and created a list of the counties with the most severe weather in every state. Out of all the lightning types (inter-cloud, cloud-to-cloud, and cloud-to-ground), cloud-to-ground or CG lightning impacts us the most. Atmosphere (SSAI/NASA GSFC). Thunderstorms, too, frequently blow through the state. Which type forms depends on the instability and relative wind conditions at different layers of the atmosphere ("wind shear"). Along the Gulf Coast and across the southeastern and western states, most thunderstorms occur during the afternoon. And like neighboring cold and hot temperatures, neighboring dry and humid air masses trigger the development of severe convective storms. Thunderstorms, too, frequently blow through the state. A: The answer is Florida, says Brent McRoberts of Texas A&M University. There are four main types of thunderstorms: single-cell, multi-cell, squall line (also called multi-cell line) and supercell. Although the state doesn't border the Gulf, it's still close enough for its weather to be influenced by it. True False The ocean surrounding the state provides a lot of moisture. results in lightning only if the cloud extends above the freezing level. Single-cell thunderstorms form in environments of low vertical wind shear and last only 20–30 minutes. The storms are followed by a broader area of light rain (broad blue area). What makes this state such a thunderstorm & lightning hot spot? True False The land is surrounded by desert. Flight Center. Not only does it sit at a crossroads of mixing air masses, but the polar jet stream often flows near or over the state, creating an expressway of passing low pressure and storm systems. (The boundary between the two is called a "dry line."). What makes Florida such a lightning rod state? Illinois isn't just home to the windy city. Fatalities 2006-2015: 13. Overall, a total of 12 people died as a result of the storms, according to the Associated Press, but most of the fatalities were due to flash flooding in Kentucky. There hillbillies and rednecks paradise. How Geography Shapes Regional Weather of the United States, 10 Weird Atmospheric Phenomena That'll Spook You, Thunderstorm Versus Tornado Versus Hurricane: Comparing Storms, Tornadoes: An Introduction to Nature's Most Violent Storms, Lightning Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore, Why Winter Weather Is Difficult to Forecast, How Thundersnow Works (and Where to Find It), 5 Air Masses That Determine U.S. Florida also has the highest number of lightning-related deaths of any US state—over 50 in the past 11 years. It can injure, kill, cause damages, and start fires. Signature Exposures, Photography by Shannon Bileski / Getty Images. Atmosphere, Severe Thunderstorms over the Southeastern United States, Severe Tornadoes in the Southern United States, NASA Goddard Space On Saturday, September 23, the focus shifted eastward into Tennessee and eastern Kentucky, with the primary threat being damaging winds. This is hilarious. Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. Most inconsistent weather you will find. Using lightning flash data from Vaisala's National Lightning Detection Network, we compiled a list to answer just this. … Rain rates in the center of the swath are from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, while those in the outer swath are from the TRMM Microwave Imager.