Episode 18: Thunderstorms – The ultimate challenge for weather forecasting?

Why can we calculate the exact time of a solar eclipse down to the second, but often can’t say whether a thunderstorm will strike right above your location tonight?

In this episode, we explore one of meteorology’s most challenging questions. We explain how thunderstorms form, why even the most advanced weather models reach their limits in this regard, and why a thunderstorm warning can sometimes be completely accurate—even though not a single drop of rain falls where you live. We also take a look behind the scenes of weather forecasting: How do weather models work? What does a 70% chance of a thunderstorm actually mean? What role do artificial intelligence, satellites, and radar systems play?