By Chris Cappella
The largest, strongest and longest-lasting thunderstorms have an appropriate name: "supercells."
They are capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, dangerous bursts
of wind or flash floods as well as lightning, which is a danger in all
thunderstorms. These storms are characterized by rotating winds rising
into the storm called a "mesocyclone."
Mesocyclones help give supercells their destructive power and also help the storms hold together for hours as they create a path of destruction along the ground.
Supercells spawn most of the USA's killer tornadoes. They can also bring hail more than three quarters of an inch in diameter and non-tornado winds faster than 57 mph.
Some supercells produce little rain, others, downpours that can cause flash floods. Supercells are most common on the Great Plains, but also occur in other parts of the USA.
Mesocyclones within supercells can be detected using the National Weather Service's Doppler weather radar. These state-of-the-art detection units allow forecasters to peek inside a supercell and look for a Tornado Vortex Signature, or TVS.
Mesocyclones help give supercells their destructive power and also help the storms hold together for hours as they create a path of destruction along the ground.
Supercells spawn most of the USA's killer tornadoes. They can also bring hail more than three quarters of an inch in diameter and non-tornado winds faster than 57 mph.
Some supercells produce little rain, others, downpours that can cause flash floods. Supercells are most common on the Great Plains, but also occur in other parts of the USA.
Mesocyclones within supercells can be detected using the National Weather Service's Doppler weather radar. These state-of-the-art detection units allow forecasters to peek inside a supercell and look for a Tornado Vortex Signature, or TVS.
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