Thundersnow

A rare winter thunderstorm where lightning crackles through falling snow/Weather & Climate

Thundersnow is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which thunder and lightning occur during a snowstorm. It happens when a layer of warm air near the surface rises rapidly through a colder layer above, creating the same convective instability that powers ordinary thunderstorms but in a winter setting. Lightning during thundersnow is typically closer to the ground and appears brighter because the snow-filled air reflects the flash. Thunder is often muffled by the snow, audible only within about 3 km instead of the usual 16 km. Thundersnow events frequently produce extremely heavy snowfall rates of 5 to 10 cm per hour and are most common around large lake-effect snow bands.