How come we never see any snow storms accompanied by thunder and lightning? Where I live in the northwest I see rain storms and hail storms all the time and they are usually accompanied by lightning but I never see lightning when it snows or for that matter I never see it in the winter period.
Now is the time for all good men to come the the aid of their gazorninplatt.
We’ve had that phenomenon before in Northern Michigan. But only like two or three times I can think of in my entire life. You’re right that it’s rare. I’m not exactly sure why.
Shouldn’t this be a General Question?
“In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” - Ecclesiastes 1:18
I’ve seen it once in Minnesota and twice in Colorado. Rare and memorable.
Gotta check in from NC and say that we too have seen snow, thunder and lightening all at once, but only once a few years ago - there must be some scientific reason why it is so rare, hmmm
“Solos Dios basta” . . . but a little pizza won’t hurt.
From the land of thunder, South Florida, we have no thunder in the winter, so I assume heat is necessary.
Not so fast, you mucko!
Shadowfox
“We are what we pretend to be.”
Thunder and lightening occur with heat…winter is too cold…I’m in NC and I don’t remember ever seeing it thunder and lightening during a snow storm
“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda
Not just any heat, the ground has to get hot and heat the air. This causes the unstable mass of hot air near the ground to rise and carry moisture aloft. It’s unusual to have hot ground in the winter, so thunderstorms are rare. Not too rare here in south Texas though, it was 83 yesterday.
It can’t be because of ground heat. I recall vividly that one of the times I experienced thunder and lightning during a snow storm was right in the heart of winter up here, where it is COLD – many feet of snow on the ground and heavy snow falling at the time.
“In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” - Ecclesiastes 1:18
I’ve had lightening and thunder during a snowstorm is the Cleveland area.It was because it was a sudden front moving in.
When I was going to University in Ottawa we had a coouple of snow storms with lightning, boy that is eerie. The Brits had a superstition which said that if there was a snowstorm with lightning, someone important had died.
You want brilliance BEFORE I’ve had my coffee!!!
Here’s a good site: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/trw.htm
If the ground is cold then something else is causing the updraft, a very strong front for example. Of course lightning can come from sources other than thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions can cause them as well. Are you sure the “snow” wasn’t volcanic ash?