Supercell Thunderstorm

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-027260",
  "term": "Supercell Thunderstorm",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Potentially the most dangerous of the convective storm types. Storms possessing this structure have been observed to generate the vast majority of long-lived strong and violent (F2-F5) tornadoes, as well as downburst damage and large hail. It is defined as a thunderstorm consisting of one quasi-steady to rotating updraft which may exist for several hours. Supercells usually move to the right of the mean wind. These are called \"Right Movers\" and they are favored with veering winds. Occasionally, these thunderstorms will move to the left of the mean wind. These thunderstorms are called \"Left Movers\". These supercells typically don't last as long as their \"Right Mover\" cousins and they usually only produce large hail (greater than 3/4 inch in diameter) and severe wind gusts in the excess of 58 miles an hour. Left Movers are favored when you have backing winds.\n\n2. A supercell is a long-lived (greater than 1 hour) and highly organized storm feeding off an updraft (a rising current of air) that is tilted and rotating. This rotating updraft - as large as 10 miles in diameter and up to 50,000 feet tall - can be present as much as 20 to 60 minutes before a tornado forms. Scientists call this rotation a mesocyclone when it is detected by Doppler radar. The tornado is a very small extension of this larger rotation. Most large and violent tornadoes come from supercells.",
  "references": [
    "NOAA National Weather Service Glossary",
    "NOAA Severe Weather 101 Thunderstorm Types at http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/thunderstorms/types"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/supercell-thunderstorm/"
}