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Lightning is one of several thunderstorm hazards. Jeremy Woodhouse/Photodisc/Getty Images
A thunder and lightning storm is a dangerous force of nature. The lightning alone is responsible for an average of 67 fatalities and 300 injuries every year in the United States. The possible severity of any thunderstorm should never be underestimated, given the immediate hazards it can raise with little to no warning. Four of the most dangerous hazards are flash floods, striking lightning, hail and downbursts.
Flash Floods
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A very heavy rainfall can trigger a flash flood when local streams and gullies collect a large amount of rainwater over a short period of time. The current will overflow the usual path of water and travel into other areas. A dam failure will launch the worst flash floods. The incredible force of the rising water level causes the dam to break and unleash a mighty current of rainwater and water reserves.
Lightning
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A thunderstorm is not complete without lightning. In fact, lightning is the storm event that causes thunder. Triggered by a build up of static charges within storm clouds, lightning can strike anything on the ground containing opposite charges.
Hail
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Hail forms when strong updrafts in clouds cause water droplets to become supercooled and freeze. These droplets are then forced about by strong winds, accumulating layers of water from other droplets that instantaneously freeze on contact. Hail drops to the Earth when it becomes too heavy to remain in thunderclouds. Hail stones can grow as large as baseballs and pose a blunt force hazard to anyone or anything.
Downbursts
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A downburst is a strong sideways spread of wind, forced outward by the impact of the downdraft on the ground. A macroburst is a downburst that can cover an area of five miles and reach windspeeds of up to 130 mph. A microburst covers a smaller area but may occur at higher windspeeds. Downbursts can have tornado-like effects on buildings and land.
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