Some Ohioans got an early wake-up call from Mother Nature. At 6:50 a.m., a rare lightning strike hit in the Kent area, with a loud boom being heard miles away right after the lightning bolt.
Facebook comments on our News 5 Cleveland page couldn't believe it at first, citing the sound could have been trash cans or car crashes. Others saw and heard the thundersnow. But what is it and how is it possible to get thundersnow during the cold winter months?
You can watch the Ohio Department of Transportation footage here:
Thundersnow is a culmination of several key weather features. It starts with a big temperature difference between the ground and the clouds. It was 64 degrees on Friday, and the ground has not fully cooled down yet. The temperature in the clouds was extremely cold, below zero.
That big temperature difference causes a lot of turbulence in the clouds. All those ice crystals "dancing" in the clouds create lots of static electricity. The way we get a small shock after dragging our feet on the carpet is the same principle for thundersnow, except on a much larger scale.
This instability and static electricity can quickly come together to produce a lightning strike and subsequent rumble of thunder. The strike of lightning with snow falling appears much brighter than a summertime storm. Snow is white and highly reflective, so the incredibly bright and hot lightning strike can look even brighter because of the snow.
Want the latest Power of 5 weather team updates wherever you go? Download the News 5 App free now: Apple|Android
Click here to view our interactive radar.
Follow the News 5 Weather Team:
Trent Magill: Facebook & Twitter
Katie McGraw: Facebook & Twitter
Phil Sakal: Facebook & Twitter
Allan Nosoff: Facebook & Twitter
