How Do Tornadoes Form?

By jamie

Article Sources

Medical Expert

More About Us

3. Supercells

If conditions are right then a thunderstorm can turn into a supercell - which is basically a severe thunderstorm. They are not common but, when they do occur, there is a good chance of them producing some very destructive weather including tornadoes.

A storm becomes a supercell when there is a mesocyclone present. This is caused by wind shear causing air to roll, almost in a tube-like fashion. An updraft will then lift this spinning cylinder of air into the storm cloud, where it will then begin to spin vertically. The spin of the mesocyclone will also cause the supercell to start spinning.

Related Articles