thunderstorm

American  

[thuhn-der-stawrm] / ˈθʌn dərˌstɔrm /

noun

thunderstorms plural

1. a transient storm of lightning and thunder, usually with rain and gusty winds, sometimes with hail or snow, produced by cumulonimbus clouds.

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thunderstorm British  

/ ˈθʌndəˌstɔːm /

noun

1. a storm caused by strong rising air currents and characterized by thunder and lightning and usually heavy rain or hail

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thunderstorm Scientific  

/ thŭn′dər-stôrm′ /

1. A storm of heavy rain accompanied by lightning, thunder, wind, and sometimes hail. Thunderstorms occur when moist air near the ground becomes heated, especially in the summer, and rises, forming cumulonimbus clouds that produce precipitation. Electrical charges accumulate at the bases of the clouds until lightning is discharged. Air in the path of the lightning expands as a result of being heated, causing thunder. Thunderstorms can also be caused by temperature changes triggered by volcanic eruptions and forest fires, and they occur with much greater frequency at the equatorial regions than in polar regions.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• thunderstorms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of thunderstorm

First recorded in 1645–55; thunder + storm

Example Sentences

A student in Huanggang city told the BBC that he had thought it was "just an ordinary thunderstorm", until he saw "things started flying through the air outside" the dormitory window.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

A massive July Fourth celebration on Washington's National Mall was evacuated on Saturday, due to an approaching severe thunderstorm, AFP reporters said.

From Barron's • Jul. 4, 2026

Some worked 30-hour shifts in triple-digit heat and a flash heavy thunderstorm Friday evening as the celebration continued into the early hours of Saturday morning, keeping personnel on site through sunrise.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026

And, during the group stage here, France’s win over Iraq in Philadelphia was delayed for 2 hours and 11 minutes because of a major thunderstorm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

They needed to know the progress of the seasons and what warning signs preceded a thunderstorm or a dry spell.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• deluge
• downpour
• drizzle
• flood
• hail
• rain
• rainstorm
• sleet
• storm