<p>Q: Are thunderstorms normal at the end of a heatwave?</p>
<p>Depends on how quickly cooler weather moves in and how moist it is.</p>
<p>If it's hot and a cooler damper mass of air moves in quickly (over a couple of hours) - yeeha! thunderstorms.</p>
<p>if it's hot and cooler weather moves in over multiple days - probably not.</p>
<p>:)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-18T17:35:56.757Z
2020-08-18T17:35:56.757Z
eAndy
<p>As far as I know, heat waves form when a high-pressure system builds up over an area. This forms a sort of &quot;cap&quot; over the affected area which prevents air from rising and cooling and then coming back to the surface. This results in a continuous buildup of heat leading to a heatwave. When a heatwave ends, I'm assuming that means the high-pressure system mixes with another low-pressure system. When two systems like these mix and there is moisture I believe thunderstorms are likely to form.</p>
<p>My question is if this reasoning is correct and if thunderstorms are common after a heatwave ends in areas where there is some moisture in the air at the end of the heatwave.</p>
<p>In other words, what exactly happens in the atmosphere when a heatwave needs and would this lead to increased chance of thunderstorms in areas where the air has some moisture?</p>

<meteorology><thunderstorm>
Are thunderstorms normal at the end of a heat wave?
mihirb
# Are thunderstorms normal at the end of a heat wave?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-17)

As far as I know, heat waves form when a high-pressure system builds up over an area. This forms a sort of "cap" over the affected area which prevents air from rising and cooling and then coming back to the surface. This results in a continuous buildup of heat leading to a heatwave. When a heatwave ends, I'm assuming that means the high-pressure system mixes with another low-pressure system. When two systems like these mix and there is moisture I believe thunderstorms are likely to form.

My question is if this reasoning is correct and if thunderstorms are common after a heatwave ends in areas where there is some moisture in the air at the end of the heatwave.

In other words, what exactly happens in the atmosphere when a heatwave needs and would this lead to increased chance of thunderstorms in areas where the air has some moisture?

**Tags:** meteorology, thunderstorm


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-08-18. Score: 1

Q: Are thunderstorms normal at the end of a heatwave?

Depends on how quickly cooler weather moves in and how moist it is.

If it's hot and a cooler damper mass of air moves in quickly (over a couple of hours) - yeeha! thunderstorms.

if it's hot and cooler weather moves in over multiple days - probably not.

:)


---

