SupercellA low precipitation supercell in rural Northeast Colorado.A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone, a deep, persistently rotating updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four main classifications of thunderstorms—supercell, squall line, multi-cell, and single-cell—supercells are the least common overall and have the potential to be the most severe.
Wall cloudA wall cloud (murus or pedestal cloud) is a large, localized, persistent, and often abrupt lowering of cloud that develops beneath the surrounding base of a cumulonimbus cloud and from which tornadoes sometimes form. It is typically beneath the rain-free base (RFB) portion of a thunderstorm, and indicates the area of the strongest updraft within a storm. Rotating wall clouds are an indication of a mesocyclone in a thunderstorm; most strong tornadoes form from these.
Weather radarRadar used to locate and monitor meteorological conditionsWeather radar in Norman, Oklahoma with rainshaftWeather (WF44) radar dishUniversity of OklahomaOU-PRIME C-band, polarimetric, weather radar during constructionA weather radar, also called weather surveillance radar (WSR) and Doppler weather radar, is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, and estimate its type (rain, snow, hail etc.).
ThunderstormA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are sometimes called thundershowers. Thunderstorms occur in cumulonimbus clouds. They are usually accompanied by strong winds and often produce heavy rain and sometimes snow, sleet, or hail, but some thunderstorms can produce little or no precipitation at all.
VortexIn fluid dynamics, a vortex (pl.: vortices or vortexes) is a region in a fluid in which the flow revolves around an axis line, which may be straight or curved. Vortices form in stirred fluids and may be observed in smoke rings, whirlpools in the wake of a boat, and in the winds surrounding a tropical cyclone, tornado, or dust devil. Vortices are a major component of turbulent flow.
Wind shearWind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in windspeed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal wind shear. Vertical wind shear is a change in wind speed or direction with a change in altitude. Horizontal wind shear is a change in wind speed with a change in lateral position for a given altitude.
Cyclonic rotationCyclonic rotation or cyclonic circulation is the atmospheric motion in the same direction as a planet's rotation, as opposed to anticyclonic rotation. In the case of Earth's rotation, the Coriolis effect causes cyclonic rotation to be in a counterclockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. A closed area of winds rotating cyclonically is known as a cyclone.
Low-pressure areaIn meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area, or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible rain or storms), while high-pressure areas are associated with lighter winds and clear skies.
Tornado intensityMeasurement of strength and severity of tornadoesTornado damage to a house in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, hit during the Tornado outbreak of May 10–13, 2010Tornado intensity is the measure of wind speeds and potential risk produced by a tornado. Intensity can be measured by in situ or remote sensing measurements, but since these are impractical for wide-scale use, intensity is usually inferred by proxies, such as damage.
Northern HemisphereThe Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane the Solar System as Earth's North Pole. Due to Earth's axial tilt of 23.439281°, there is a seasonal variation in the lengths of the day and night. There is also a seasonal variation in temperatures, which lags the variation in day and night.
Mesoscale meteorologyMesoscale meteorology is the study of weather systems and processes at horizontal scales of approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi) to several hundred kilometres. It is smaller than synoptic-scale systems (1,000 km or larger) but larger than microscale (less than 1 km). At the small end, it includes storm-scale phenomena (the size of an individual thunderstorm). Examples of mesoscale weather systems are sea breezes, squall lines, and mesoscale convective complexes.
TornadoA tornado, also known as a twister, is a rapidly rotating column of air that extends vertically from the surface of the Earth to the base of a cumulonimbus or cumulus cloud. Tornadoes are often (but not always) visible in the form of a condensation funnel originating from the cloud base, with a cloud of rotating debris and dust close to the ground.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.