Storms

📖 In short

A storm is wild weather with strong winds, sometimes with heavy rain, snow, hail, or thunder and lightning. Some storms are small and pass in hours, and some are huge, cover many countries and last for days.

🤩 Did you know?

Small thunderstorms cover an area of about 25 square kilometers.
Big tropical storms can affect whole continents and last for weeks.
Sandstorms can carry dust from the Sahara to Europe and America.
Big storms can be seen clearly in satellite pictures.

🔎 Find out more

🌟 Kinds of storms

There are thunderstorms with thunder, lightning and rain; snowstorms with snow and cold winds; sandstorms in the desert; and hurricanes over warm seas.

🔍 Sandstorms

In the Arab world there are sometimes sandstorms carrying dust and sand, turning the sky yellow or orange and making it hard to see and breathe.

💡 How do they form?

Storms often form when warm, damp air meets cold air, or when air heats up a lot and rises fast, so big clouds form and the wind blows.

🎯 Staying safe in a storm

Listen to the weather forecast, stay indoors, close the windows, and keep away from trees and electricity poles. In a sandstorm, put a mask or a piece of cloth over your nose.