Supercell

storms · weather · tornado

Rotating updraft. A supercell has a deep, spinning column of rising air called a mesocyclone that keeps spinning for hours. This rotating motion is what makes it so different from regular thunderstorms.

Super rare and powerful. Of all thunderstorms, supercells are the least common but the most dangerous. They can produce massive hail, extreme winds, and the strongest tornadoes on the planet.

Long lasting storms. Most supercells spin for 2 to 4 hours, but in perfect conditions they can keep going for 7 hours or more. A regular thunderstorm might only last 30 minutes.

Isolated but huge. Supercells usually form alone, away from other storms, and can control the weather for up to 20 miles around them. One supercell can block out the sky for an entire region.