Thunderstorm structure
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:14 pm
When a thunderstorm is approaching you from the west, will the updraft or the downdraft hit you first?
Depends a bit upon which part of the storm is headed your way and what kind of storm is approaching. However, in general the usual sequence of events is for the inflow to be affecting you as the storm approaches. Just before the gust front hits the wind will drop off and then the outflow will hit just as the rain does with varying degrees of severity. The updraft in an organized storm is offset from the rain so if that part of the storm hits you, you are not likely to get any rain or very little unless the RFD wraps in behind the updraft. Should be noted that most storms are not that highly structured and that what could be termed the updraft of a propagating normal boomer occurs in the inflow ahead of the outflow and rain.
Steve