Thunderstorms can pop up at any moment. Contact SERVPRO of La Puente/City of Industry West if you experience any damage.

5/17/2021 (Permalink)

Why Thunderstorms Fall Into the Severe Weather Category

When we think about severe weather, we don’t often think about thunderstorms. But maybe we should.

While most thunderstorms don’t cause significant problems, the fact remains that they can be dangerous, if conditions are right. In some cases, thunderstorms contain winds, lightning, hail, flooding and other issues, meaning there are many ways that the weather can turn dangerous quickly.

What is a thunderstorm exactly? Well, it’s a storm containing thunder. By extension, that also means the storm includes lightning, since thunder and lightning always go hand-in-hand. You may not realize it, but you can’t have one without the other.

What makes a thunderstorm severe? There are a couple conditions that must be met. Severe thunderstorms are defined as storms that contain hail that is one inch or larger and straight-line winds of 58 miles per hour or more.

The Facts About Thunderstorm Danger

Damage and injury from lightning strikes. Thunderstorms always produce lightning, and lightning strikes are among the most dangerous elements of a storm. In fact, it is reported that they cause around 300 injuries every year. Beyond this danger to humans, lightning strikes can also cause significant property damage, including damage caused directly by a strike, as well as damage caused indirectly through things like trees falling on the home.

Property damage due to hail. When you see hail in the forecast, odds are you fear for your car. But while hail can definitely do damage to cars, that’s not the only danger it causes. These ice pellets range in size from tiny to pretty large, and the larger they are, the more damage they can cause. In a severe thunderstorm, large hail can pummel a roof and damage the siding on a home, leading to a leak and water damage.

Harm from flash flooding. You’ve probably learned this at some point in life, but if there’s water on the ground, it’s best not to drive through it. The phrase “turn around, don’t drown” is used for a reason. Flash floods can literally occur in a flash, caused by anything that leads to a mass accumulation of water. If flash flood conditions are possible, it’s best to stay off the road.

Thunderstorms are dangerous and can cause significant damage to homes or commercial spaces. If you have damage due to a thunderstorm, you can count on us to help. Contact us ²⁴⁄₇ for more information about our storm restoration practices.