I hadn’t even thought of that until I read this. I had thought thunderstorms after hot weather were just a fact of life. I guess in places near German latitudes that get thunderstorms the hot weather is caused by high pressure systems but maybe that isn’t really the cause in California.
Coastal weather is often lacking the conditions that creates thunderstorms. I live near the coast now too and haven't experienced the kind of thunderstorm I know from Germany.
Have you been to the Midwest? I grew up near Cape Cod, and I have to say -- I'll take a nor'easter any day, give me the snow. That "maybe a tornado will just come down and demolish your house" type thunderstorm is pretty scary! I'm glad we've got a calm atmosphere up here.
