Dry thunderstorm

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Dry thunderstorms occur essentially in dry conditions, and their lightning is a major cause of wildefires.[3][4] Because of that, the National Weather Service, and other agencies around the world, issue forecasts for its likelihood over large areas.[3][5]

Where dry thunderstorms occur[edit]





Dust storms[edit]

Main article: Dust storm



A lightning-sparked wildfire in Nevada.

In areas where trees or other vegetation are present, the lightning will cause the trees to catch fire and there is little or no rain to stop the fire. Storm winds fan the fire and firestorm, causing it to spread more quickly.[8]

Pyrocumulonimbus are cumuliform clouds that can forme over a large fire and that are particular dry.[9] When the higher levels of the atmosphere are cooler, and the surface is thus warmed to extreme temperatures due to a wildfire, volcano, etc., convection will occur, and produces cloud and lightning. They are similar to any cumulus cloud but ingest extra particulates from the fire which will increase the voltage difference between the base and the top of the cloud and help to produce the lighting.

See also[edit]


  2. ^ a b "What Is a Dry Thunderstorm?". weather.about.com. About Education. Retrieved December 16, 2015. 
  6. ^ Ferguson, Sue A.; Steven, J. McKay; Miriam, L. Rorig; Werth, Paul (May 2007). "Model-Generated Predictions of Dry Thunderstorm Potential" (pdf). Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 46: 605–614. doi:10.1175/JAM2482.1. Retrieved December 16, 2005. 
  8. ^ "Dry lightning and dry thunderstorms cause the majority of wildfires in the Western US - including California fires.". www.californiagreensolutions.com. California Green Solutions. 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2005. 