How a Blizzard Creates Thundersnow

[@SciShow]

The first 77 viewers to sign up at brilliant.org/scishow will get 20% off their annual premium subscription AND support SciShow.

[@AFlyingCookieLOL]

Darn, missed by 15 minutes, 3:14PM PST 936 views now

[@dylanridge2970]

How generous! A whole 77 people!

[@sick000fight]

20k a month from patreon isnt enough?wtf

[@dylanridge2970]

sick000fight People who do things like this are super obvious they are only after the muns

[@playc.holder6432]

What does brilliant do again? A lamp subscription service?

[@FabledThunder]

Thunder snow sounds like a Pokémon move.

[@SupLuiKir]

And yet it isn't. And we have the precedent of a dual type move with Flying Press from Gen 6. Gen 8, maybe? I've actually imagined this move before.

[@remuj6457]

ThunderGun2 kyurem black

[@TessaBain]

· 0xFFF1 Freeze Shock...

[@TheRogueWolf]

But would it be super-effective?

[@awkwardauntie1978]

Thunder, Thunder, Lightening and the Thunder!

[@MeskosPaslauga]

I have seen this thing about 5 years ago in Lithuania. Can't get it out of my head still. We were with friends in such a corner between buildings that the storm did not reach us at all it was calm place outside where two meters in front of us we saw the most amazing thing ever the storm was huge and lots of snowflakes made so that I could see the shape of winds dancing and fighting and mixing with each other and in the background there were these flashes of light and thunder. I will not forget this ever in my life. It's pretty hard to express what I saw in words. Just by seeing the thumbnail of this video I instantly understood what this is about.

[@kurtbonke6999]

I live near Lake Ontario. We had Thunder snow on 3/3/23. PRETTY FREAKIN' WILD!!

[@nekomasteryoutube3232]

@@kurtbonke6999 Which I TOALLY slept through god damnit I was aswake for for it once, but this time I missed it :(

[@futuresonex]

Thundersnow is awesome. Just ask Jim Cantore!

[@Inn1]

it does sound really great; I was thinking of Thunder in Snowy form.

[@joewhite9037]

Got to witness Thundersnow for the first time, While I was warming my car up for work at 4:45 this morning. I “geeked out” like Jim Cantore and I saw it 3 times. The third time I got so excited in front of my boss. Got to cross seeing Thundersnow off my bucket list, Next is seeing the Milky Way Galaxy! I never thought I would at least see it in my lifetime or at least in Denver.

[@Neckcron]

this happened about 8 years ago in IL we were out getting pizza in a snowstorm when everything started flashing purple, drowning and combining with the white haze... it was beautiful!

[@krashd]

I think that might not have been oregano on your pizza.

[@Br0kklu]

@@krashd FLOL that was my first guess too!!! I bet it happens all the time in Amsterdam and it smells fruity too :P

[@iloilee]

I’ve only ever heard thunder while it was snowing _once_ in my life. It was so trippy.

[@erikroberts8307]

I actually experienced this only once in my life. At the time, I was a student at MTU in Houghton, Michigan. We had a such a massive snowstorm one afternoon (3 ft. of snow in a half an hour) that they had to close the school. It was right when and there that I was temporarily blinded by a flash of lightning and deafened by a crisp, but extremely loud, blast of thunder that scared the be-jesus out me and shook the ground. I waited for a long time after that to see if it would ever happen again, but it never did.

[@juliat9211]

Happening now in Detroit area but I didn’t think it was that bad of a blizzard.

[@ME-yr1gn]

@@juliat9211 same position about to consent the same thing

[@narri214]

Thundersnow's are my favorite weather phenomenon. I've experience several such events my life. The most exciting one was while skiing.... I was not happy on the Chairlift but going down the hill in the lightning, snow, wind and thunder was amazing

[@dolmandabean]

I've experienced it only once! it was unbelievably bizarre! the contrast between the silent snow gently falling to the ground and the loud crashes of thunder was quite unsettling

[@adyeri9831]

Rain in the summer? HAHAHA HAHAHAHA haha ha ha ha... I live in Southern California.

[@DAK4Blizzard]

Oddly enough, I remember receiving a rain shower in early August 2015 in Laguna Beach. It lasted about 15 minutes. But further inland, the CA deserts will occasionally receive scattered storms during summer from the Arizona Monsoon.

[@adyeri9831]

DAK4Blizzard You're right, I was exaggerating, but where I live, in the Northern region of LA county, we don't get much rain in the summer, aside from September. I just didn't want to give away the city I live in.

[@RachDT3R3Z1]

Lmao can’t relate- *when you live in S Tx and it literally rains every other day/week*

[@SROairsoft]

Same

[@stormnick3775]

I live in NC and my weather is different,in the summer I get crazy huge thunderstorms ⛈ every other day but in the winter rain and thunderstorms are very rare,If you live southeastern NC.

[@craigcorson3036]

I have seen/heard thundersnow only once in my life, and it was the most beautiful natural phenomenon that I have ever experienced, including aurora borealis. The lightning was refracted by the snow crystals in such a way that incredible colors were produced, colors that I have not seen before or since, anywhere. It was utterly amazing, awe-inspirindg, captivating. I hope to see it again at least once more before I die. Better yet - AS I die.

[@awesomefacepalm]

I live in Sweden and I've experienced thundersnow twice. Once in 2008 and once in 2011

[@TheDevler23]

We got Thunder Snow in Seattle, a few years ago! It was AWESOME and it hit the news!

[@celticlass8573]

I've experienced Thundersnow twice. Totally cool!

[@cg0825]

I saw and heard it once. Heard a loud bang and it freaked me out. Remember looking out the window seeing it snow heavily and there being thunder and lightning with it--like a snow thunderstorm. Very strange. If you know Jim Cantore on the weather channel he always gets excited when he sees it..

[@MatthewSpencerKociol]

When I lived in New England a few years ago, we had a winter where we had "Thundersnow" for nearly every snowstorm (once a week on average) for a couple months. So that was at least 10-15 thunder-snows in one winter. I remember everyone saying how rare it was and people thought I was crazy, but it usually happened really late at night, like between 10pm and 1am, and it definitely happened when the air was still and was around freezing, but not too cold.

[@GamingMuchTerry]

Thundersnow was reported in Scotland today and I'd never heard of it - I knew Sci-Show would have though :) Thanks for the info.

[@psalm1197]

Simulated Created It was right above me here in Aberfeldy....terrifying. I thought a plane had crashed nearby and when I opened the drapes, it was snowing outside and the thunder was still rumbling. But the initial looooong Thunder explosion was totally bizarre

[@GamingMuchTerry]

@@psalm1197 Hey, it's 2020. If I'd have experienced, I'm sure I would have thought it was the end of days! Never heard of thundersnow before though, now I know it's safe, would actually like to see it 🙂

[@psalm1197]

Simulated Created I sure hope you do, though it seems it is very rare here. I will never forget that sound! Intense and also rather frightening...

[@erikgodau9552]

Just heard thunder, and its a blizzard outside! My gf and I were shook until I, the smart veiwer I am (as you said yourself in the video 😉) googled it and saw this well respected channel had a video explaining exactly what we wanted to know! London Ontario had a thunderblizzard today!

[@HayTatsuko]

Thundersnow makes Jim Cantore's joy overflow!

[@jessebob325]

I’ve noticed more instances of Thundersnow in the UK than I remember seeing growing up in the Midwest USA. Interesting indeed.

[@stephensnell1379]

Yes you are very true there the UK weather is getting more freaky by the year as the climate becomes warmer

[@melissaabbey641]

I witnessed thundersnow in upstate NY in the early 1990s It was AMAZING!!

[@triangledefinition]

Here in Michigan its not super rare, might hear some every couple years. Usually with lake effect snow!

[@ravensshadow2179]

I live on the other side of the great lakes in Buffafo and we have it about once a year.

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

I remember a news story about a house that burned down after being struck by lighting during a snowstorm. It was the only lightning strike that day. How unlucky can you be?

[@Souleater17722]

We had thundersnow in pennsylvania in 2017. And im planning on moving to michigan cause i love snow. Or move to alaska

[@shirleyellinger]

Having it just now at 1:17 am here in Grand Rapids Michigan!

[@morrisminor56]

seen it twice in the UK,both times the lightning was green! both time was years apart.

[@Rararawr]

I'll take my thundersnow over earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes any day

[@SweetLilWren]

I love Hank Green ♥

[@tylerjames6331]

I remember being very young helping my uncle shovel snow when all of a sudden I heard thunder and than a few seconds later there was purple lightning. I laid down on a snow pile and just watched the purple arcs dance across the sky.

[@stephensnell5707]

Incorrect you always get lightning first and then the thunder as lightning is basically what creates thunder

[@fantasticmio]

I grew up around the Great Lakes and thought thundersnow was pretty normal. I mean, it didn't happen often, but it wasn't terribly rare, either. Then I moved to Alberta, and I haven't heard it since. This video helped explain this wonderfully! Thank you!

[@anonpers0n]

I seen this for the first time in my 30 year life in northern MN this last December. 3 or 4 bolts of lightning and thunderclaps

[@JupiterJennyArts]

I get thunderstorm pretty often at my place in the Colorado mountains. It's usually with a pretty wind driven snow storm.

[@mackycabangon8945]

Oh thundersnow... Totally reminds us of that warm-hearted Valentine feelings

[@musclehank6067]

I ran a marathon in a blizzard with Thundersnow Also, Thinking about uploading a Q&A. If you have a question reply to this comment and if I get more than ten questions I'll do the Q&A

[@AUnicorn666]

why did you make this account

[@AUnicorn666]

are you trying to pretend to be hank

[@AUnicorn666]

who the eff is muscle hank (yeah i had too)

[@muffinedits165]

Muscle Hank the profile pic tho

[@itsvairen334]

Is snow for the weak?

[@azeller09]

"u dont wanna brag but youre propably pretty smart" I DONT AND I AM, THANKS SCISHOW

[@macmurfy2jka]

Saw one of these while skiing at Killington Mountain. It was awesome.

[@kylojenn3985]

Few years back during the Midwest’s “Snowpocalypse” my Chicago college roommates and I were witness to this!

[@Marcoboyle00]

Had a thundersnow storm last week here in the west of scotland. Though to myself what the heck is happening, but had no idea it was so rare!

[@kalinadesseaux8011]

Thanks!

[@cellogirl11rw55]

I once camped with some relatives on Glacier Mountain in Montana, and, on our last day there, we woke up to thunder snow. This storm had abundant lightning with strong winds. As soon as we heard the first clap of thunder, we booked it off that mountain like there was a fire! We were really scared of being struck by lightning because we had metal rods in our tents, and we were in a really vulnerable spot for lightning strikes. We literally just threw everything in the back of our car and left without even packing it away. That's an experience I will never forget.

[@mammy188]

"Tall, dark and... handsome clouds." That was a beautiful moment at 2:38.

[@Novadestin]

Thundersnow happening right now in Michigan. Very cool to watch the entire sky light up purple because it's all reflecting off the snow. I thought it was a transformer or something blowing up at first though lol so thanks for the video!

[@jessicasnow9007]

We had thundersnow in Massachusetts on Christmas morning this year. Very cool (no pun intended).

[@curbthepain]

I've seen and heard thundersnow before. Lived in Sussex, WI and there was a huge blizzard on December, 1st 2008. Actually struck a shed next to my house. Freaked me the hell out. Then the summer after I got blamed for lighting the shed door on fire. How wonderful. Thanks thundersnow.

[@EmilyJelassi]

i drove through a blizzard with thunder snow while i was at college in NH...the freakiest, but also the coolest, thing ever! it was so weird to see blue sky when the lightning flashed.

[@ericthatcher]

I have experienced thunder snow a couple of time, it’s really cool.

[@midnighttheumbreon8857]

I live in PA and a few years ago I woke up in the middle of the night and randomly saw a flash of light from outside through my front door. It was followed closely by a soft rumble. I look outside and see everything covered in snow, and shortly later another flash of lightning happened. It was mesmerizing and fascinating to watch. These are rare phenomenons!

[@CheeseTaterson]

*singing* "Thundersnow, lightning strikes, hoooly smooookes; totally lit up the sky!~"

[@Mac_Omegaly]

So I wasn't too disappointed to have a Thunderstorm with 32° freezing rain, on the edge of the winter storm blowing through the Neenah, Wisconsin. At 4:33-46am this morning. I recorded a total of 55 flashes, and 38 rumbles of thunder. (keep in mind I had missed a few being half asleep when it started, and it took a few rumbles for me to wake up.) Overall it was fairly exciting, but now that the snow has started falling in earnest it's back to a normal silent winter storm. I've stayed up the last 3 hours to see if Thundersnow might happen, but it's looking fairly poor chances now that the more turbulent area of the winter storm has blown north.

[@gregjohns5235]

I actually just experienced this for the first time a couple days ago.... I think. It was really cold and ice was falling from the sky, but I was also hearing thunder.

[@MissDaisyLoo]

I witnessed it back in 2008/9. It was freaking amazing.

[@Blazeblitz9000]

thundersnow is my favorite anime

[@jmcosmos]

In the early 1990s, I was driving from my hometown in north central Texas to Dallas, and experienced something even stranger: thunder_sleet_. We had thunder, lightning, and sleet all at the same time which made driving a huge challenge. The sleet that day was heavy enough that my car's defroster couldn't cope trying to keep the windshield warm and clear, and the temperature differential between inside and out started a huge dissecting crack that eventually bisected the windshield some time later.

[@jeanlafrance8746]

It happens atleast once every winter where I live in Canada, along the St-Lawrence river. It still surprises me every time!

[@Jacob-fv6co]

Loving the meteorology videos! Thank you!

[@davidbuschhorn6539]

I've only seen thundersnow once. It was fairly warm and we were down at the community beach on the Severn River (the US one, not the England one) when it started snowing. Huge, fat flakes. The wind came up and my friend and I were just abandoning the copper-roofed cabana when lightning struck something really nearby. Snow lights up like you wouldn't believe, when lightning goes off.

[@ILoveOldTWC]

It happened in the south during the March 1993 "Superstorm" or "Storm of the Century" or "Blizzard of '93". James Spann said that the thundersnow during the March blizzard of 1993, was due to air aloft temperatures being -100 degrees, which is compared to 30 degrees at the surface is a huge difference and "warm", similar to the clash of warm air at the surface, clashing with cold air aloft in the summer. I experienced it in Alabama during the March 1993 storm.

[@anthonybeervor2265]

"Thundersnow" is the name I'm going to use if I ever want to start a melodic prog-metal band.

[@catiedoesit]

I'm from Wisconsin and whenever I told my friends from warmer areas about thunder snow, they freak out.

[@Black_bird7_7]

In my 30 years of life so far I was lucky enough to witness thundersnow once as a kid. It was a short lived storm, but amazing none the less.

[@natlek08]

I've seen a few winter storms that had a nice lightning show to go with it over the past 20 years. Amazing beautiful and eerily frightening at the same time given you normally can be outside with little concern other than frostbite

[@tommeng6522]

The day of the blizzard: Boss: Hey yo Son, comin' to work?

[@3d_alliance]

Tom Meng I ended up in the hospital almost went in to a diabetic coma told my boss I'd be in the hospital for a few days get a call the next day, he said hope you are feeling better, then asked if I'm coming in today.

[@derrickm6776]

Also a fun fact, thundersnow is less noticeable typically due to the differences in precipitation. The sound waves are able to travel as easily through solid snow than they are with liquid rain droplets. So this makes thundersnow a bit more rare.

[@stephensnell5707]

1 thing you failed to mention-You can't hear thunder as much during thundersnow as the snowflakes basically muffle the sound of the thunder whereas with thunderstorms in Summer the thunder can be much louder as there is nothing muffling the sound of the thunder

[@markstott6689]

I have experienced Thundersnow just the once. It was at Dob Park, near Otley, Yorkshire England about 4 years ago. About 250m above sea level. It was an amazing if scary experience as I had pulled over because of the blizzard conditions and started walking down the lane. I made a rapid return to the car. Having lightning hitting the hillside either side of me, whilst awesome, was rather unnerving.

[@Rhythmmical]

I'm a little surprised there aren't a bunch of comments mentioning last night's thundersnow that was experienced by a large swath of people from Michigan and across southern Ontario. The radar app I use (RadarScope) shows lightning. Something odd that seemed to happen is that after some time, the lightning stopped...for pretty much everyone at the same time. Then, half an hour later, it started again.

[@swabby429]

In Nebraska, we call them thunder-blizzards. They are absolutely the most beautiful storms to experience.

[@collinjamesguitar]

I live 2 and a half hours west of Chicago in IL and I’d say usually once a year we get a blizzard strong enough that makes thunder snow. Very cool! Let me tell you, it’s intense outside when it happens!

[@hannayoung9657]

My sister was born during thunder snow.

[@sirBrouwer]

well that was a electrifying event. ok i know where the door is.

[@hannayoung9657]

Well the lights did go out for moment ...

[@haroldinho9930]

Elkiey Avada Kedavra!

[@craignicholson505]

Well it happened in Scotland last night and was an amazing sound and show

[@marshallsweatherhiking1820]

Thundersnow is also more common on mountains. In the spring, a normal afternoon rainstorm in the valley will be snow above a certain elevation. It often isn't pure snow but a mix of flakes and graupel pellets (soft hail). It's actually pretty common in spring in the mountains of New Mexico. I think a lot of thundersnow that occurs during snowstorms east of the Rockies is due to horizontal rather than vertical charge separation. A typical summer shower needs to extend at least 15,000 ft above the freezing level before it starts producing lightning. Convective currents within snowstorms are rarely very tall vertically, but they are often tilted at an angle like 30 degrees. Because there is also often a very drastic horizontal temperature gradient near the most intense snow bands, a tilted cumulonimbus cloud within a snowstorm can have the same temperature differential as a vertical cumulonimbus cloud in warmer weather.

[@mikabuck9866]

I've witnessed thundersnow a few times. I live in Maine and it's really not something you would think could happen but it sure does.

[@koalapaint]

I was in Quebec City on a class trip when a thundersnow blizzard hit. It was one of the most insane things anyone had seen, and we were so snowed in that we had to stay an extra night at the hotel. I was so lucky to have been able to see something so crazy.

[@tatestaples3127]

Do a video on the difference between running inside vs running on a treadmill

[@flamegremlin5918]

I live in mid michigan we get thundersnow at least once per year. Thundersnow usually has a pretty light show...and because of the cold air....the thunder echoes. Its wild.

[@mathgurlc18]

Thundersnow is quite common during the winter on the west coast of central Japan actually. We are talking multiple times a year, maybe once every 4th storm (albeit some are rain/snow mixes). It was surprising the first few times but now it is one of the only good things about winter here.

[@Azrage]

Thundersnow sounds like a band name. I want it to be.

[@tralx5268]

A Tr Well we have Thundercat! :)

[@annasimmons1967]

im on it

[@sirBrouwer]

isnt AC/DC not the pure form of that.

[@dhertsens5617]

You've been... THUNDERSNOW! Dummmm dummm dududummm dummm THUNDERSNOO-OOW! dummm dummm dududummm dummm THUNNNNDERSNOW!

[@siennakim3575]

Experienced this a couple months ago in Germany! It was bizarre but super cool. Now I know how it works. Thanks, SciShow! :)

[@danielkorladis7869]

When you're from a place that doesn't really have storms during the summer, and Hank's talking about summer in a way you assume must be familiar to most people but feels totally alien.

[@Dontblink039]

Thundersnow is very common here in Buffalo NY

[@vekdigital]

During a visit to see family in Colorado Springs (sometime between August 10-14 of 2004), "Thundersnow" was reported on Pikes Peak. The local news reported that some 30+ tourists were trapped on Pikes Peak while a pop-up snow storm with accompanying lighting had them huddled inside the mountain house atop the peak where they had to wait until it subsided before anyone could attempt heading back down the mountain by car or COG Railway. It was a Twilight Zone moment for me at the very least. It was 80+ degrees on the valley floor where I was, but less than 30 at the summit of Pikes Peak. Weird but wonderful weather science stuff.

[@Platyfurmany]

I still remember the only time I experienced thundersnow: March 13th, 1993, North Georgia was hit by the only blizzard on record with record-breaking snowfalls up to 35 inches in extreme North Georgia. That night, while outside watching the heavy snowfall, I saw blue and green flashes in the clouds followed by thunder. This went on for about an hour and was, to say the least, an otherworldly experience!

[@Qui-9]

I have witnessed this happen once in my life, and yes it was a blizzard. I was a teenager riding around our small city in my parent's car and noticed one session of 3 or 4 bright flashes from the whole sky, in the space of a few minutes. I couldn't see the lightning. Each time it struck, all the lights went out everywhere, then came back on after a few seconds. Each time, power was knocked out for even longer, I think the last strike darkened the city for a few minutes. It was the most eerie experience I knew then. I didn't hear any thunder from in the car, but others I talked to later told me "Ohh, there definitely was thunder!" It's strange we don't really get much true blizzard action here anymore like we used to.

[@PhilosopherInsomniac]

So, living in Cleveland, this happens over Lake Erie every few years, and can be a really fun and odd experience.

[@someweirdo258]

Hank calling me smart made my day, WHY AM I CRYING?

[@RMoribayashi]

The most noticeable difference between thundersnow and a normal thunderstorm is that each strike seem to be coming from every direction at once. This is mainly because the snow all around you is lit up. Heavy snow also seems to absorb the more directional upper audio frequencies leaving a muffled sound that seems to surround you.

[@emrilbennett8704]

Wow that’s probably really awesome!!

[@Kilanna]

I know people say Thundersnow is super rare, and maybe I'm just lucky but Thundersnow where I live isn't SUPER rare. Maybe just uncommon. I've seen/heard it happen about 5 times in my life so far.

[@michael3263]

"I think that getting better at a thing is one of the chief joys of being a person." SciShow words of wisdom to live by. 😀

[@theshuman100]

2:37 it was at this point hank reconsiders sticking too closely to a script

[@Master_Therion]

I didn't know lightning was possible in a snow storm. When I learned that it was... I was shocked.

[@brodindamp]

Master Therion i was so shocked that my face was frozen for a few seconds

[@cellogirl11rw55]

Master Therion Good pun!

[@massimookissed1023]

And the thunder clapped sarcastically.

[@JammastaJ23]

Groan

[@SageSylvie]

Watt kind of horrible pun is that

[@whenigrowup064]

That's convenient! I've never heard thundersnow before a blizzard this winter, and I was quite shocked.

[@gigglysamentz2021]

1:56 Wait.... the thunder isn't the sound of the lightning strike ? It's the sound of the heated air contracting ? O0O I had no idea....

[@Kyubiwan]

It's both

[@celtgunn9775]

We had Thundersnow here in SW South Dakota during a spring snowstorm. Quite interesting when you've never heard it during a snowstorm.

[@westiepup369]

This ice particle alignment is not just studied with respect to lightning in snowstorms, but all lightning in general.

[@Bracent]

We get thundersnow in Wisconsin every couple of years, it really just depends on if we can get the wind to come off the lake and onto toe main land. I remember a couple of thundersnow storms from when I was a kid and one good storm back in 2011.

[@joshuabaughn3734]

There is one place in the World where it happens often, Kalamazoo!

[@The_Gun_Room]

For such a small team of people, these are great quality videos

[@April-xl1sx]

It's actually tundersnowing right now lol😂

[@ozdergekko]

Afaik I witnessed a winter blizzard with lightning only once in my 58yr life in Austria. When I was driving on a freeway ("Autobahn" for those in the know) on New Year's Eve. Sight was about 5m, after ten minutes all exits outside of major cities were closed. 50km with 30kmh wasn't fun at all.

[@RedRoseSeptember22]

I've experienced thunder snow before back when I lived in Oklahoma :) it was pretty neat.

[@JediBladeMaster]

Thank you for introducing me to Brilliant, Hank and SciShow.

[@jawasstolemydroid4930]

Hello from Wisconsin! I usually don't hear thunder, but I see the lightning during some of our winter storms after dark at least a couple times a year during winter. Never knew it had a name, but the disturbing part is that it didn't EVER happen when I was a kid living in the same region. Something changed to make it happen less rarely on such a consistent basis.

[@edlingja1]

jawas stole my droid The area around the 49'th parallel has been warming significantly over the past decade or more. Although, I am pretty sure there is a good reason why though, something like natural warming.

[@purplealice]

Thundersnow is awesome! I've only heard it a few times, but I'd love to hear it again!