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

See Examples For:

thunderstorm thunderstorms

Farther south in San Diego County, temperatures in inland coastal valleys hovered between 105 and 110 degrees and a thunderstorm in the Pauma Valley produced 50 mph winds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

The stakes go far beyond daily routines or vacation itineraries; small businesses lose out on potential foot traffic and revenue whenever a thunderstorm icon appears, even if it’s bright and sunny outside.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

She emerged from the reggaeton thunderstorm that hijacked the planet, but then guided it smoothly into a different aesthetic territory, far away from the movement’s misogynistic toxicity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued by the Met Office for parts of Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

It feels like a thunderstorm, gray clouds billowing across the sky.

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

The findings suggest that thunderstorms developing near the lower level circulation may play a more active role in storm organization than simply serving as a visible sign that strengthening is underway.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Precipitation peaks in winter, potentially bringing flooding and coastal erosion to California and severe thunderstorms to Gulf states.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Severe convective storms are damaging storms that can include thunderstorms with lightning, tornadoes or destructive winds, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

But thunderstorms can move quickly and, according to Prof Guy Gratton, an expert in aeronautics at Cranfield University, these systems are essentially "tactical rather than strategic".

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

It was a dark night, with heavy thunderstorms and low clouds, and the Maddox immediately began evasive action, zigzagging through the heavy rain and turbulent seas.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

Related Words

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