Abstract
The aim of the study is to show and compare variation of the annual and daily course of thunderstorms in selected European cities in 2005-2009. Data on thunderstorms originate from dispatches METAR for three airport stations: London Gatwick, Warsaw Okęcie and Moscow Sheremetyevo. These cities represent the various types of climate: warm temperate marine, transitional and continental. Thunderstorms mostly occurred in Warsaw - 207 (Moscow - 174, London - 71). The maximum of thunderstorms frequency, in the yearly course, in all towns occurred in July (Warsaw - 11,8; Moscow - 13,4; London - 5,0). Thunderstorms predominantly started at 13:30 in London, 17:00 in Warsaw, 18:00 in Moscow (13:30 means period 13:01-13:30, 17:00 means period 16:31-17:00 etc.). Thunderstorms most often ended at 13:30 in London, 17:00 in Warsaw, 20:30 in Moscow. There were dominated, at all stations, brief thunderstorms, which lasted for 30 minutes. The longest thunderstorm remained 9 hours (Warsaw), 5,5 (Moscow), 4,5 (London).