D1013 Gray Storm Clouds

Gray storm clouds sweep across a dark, dramatic sky.

Storms can be caused when cold air meets warm air, such as when a center of low pressure develops, surrounded by a system of high pressure. This combination of opposite forces can create a vacuum where the warm and cold air collide causing winds and result in the formation of storm clouds, such as the cumulonimbus. These weather patterns create turbulence and often accompany precipitation such as rain or snow and can grow into a thunderstorm, squall, hailstorm, ice storm, blizzard or even a tornado, tropical cyclone, or a hurricane.