Correct Option
The correct option is Dust-storms
Explanation
Thunderstorms are intense local storms associated with Cumulonimbus clouds, characterized by strong updrafts and downdrafts. Their development depends on atmospheric instability, heat, and moisture supply.
Detailed
- Dust-storms (Correct): When a thunderstorm forms in conditions of insufficient moisture, the precipitation generated often evaporates before reaching the ground (a phenomenon known as virga). This evaporation cools the air, making it denser and causing it to accelerate downward as a strong downdraft. When these intense, gusty winds strike the dry ground, they lift loose soil and dust, generating a dust storm. This is frequently observed in arid and semi-arid regions.
- Hailstorms (Incorrect): Hailstorms require abundant moisture and strong updrafts to carry water droplets above the freezing level, where they accumulate layers of ice. Insufficient moisture prevents the formation of significant ice pellets.
- Tornadoes (Incorrect): Tornadoes are violent, rotating columns of air typically associated with supercell thunderstorms. They generally require high levels of low-level moisture and significant wind shear to develop.
- Fog (Incorrect): Fog is a form of condensation near the ground that occurs when the air is cooled to its dew point or moisture is added. It requires high humidity, not a lack of moisture.
Key Takeaway: A thunderstorm with insufficient moisture produces strong downdrafts rather than heavy rain; these downdrafts disturb loose surface soil, resulting in dust storms.