Thunderstorm Outlook
A thunderstorm is classified as "severe" when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in excess of 50 knots (57.5 mph), or a tornado. Isolated thunderstorms cover a small area, while scattered thunderstorms cover a large area.
Characteristics of Isolated Thunderstorms - dark green on map
- Rain is typically brief, but heavy.
- There may not be a lot of lightning during an isolated thunderstorm.
- Because isolated thunderstorms do not generally last long, there is not as much time for them to develop more severe weather like hail, tornadoes, and strong wind gusts.
Characteristics of Scattered Thunderstorms - yellow on map
- Expect intermittent raining spread out over the span of a couple hours.
- Lightening is typically frequent.
- Scattered thunderstorms are more likely to develop hail, tornadoes, and strong winds.
