When a cold wave occurs characterized by the arrival of large storms , it is often referred to as the formation of “supercells” (also known as “supercells”). But what exactly do they correspond to? We will now talk about supercells and how these exceptional electrical storms are created.
What is a supercell? This is how these rare thunderstorms are created
Surely the name leaves no room for imagination and underlines the importance of the event. However, apart from the name, what is a supercell or supercell? In the spectrum of storms , the supercell is the least common type since it usually occurs in very adverse weather conditions, characterized mainly by high winds, very large hail and sometimes even tornadoes.
In particular, the uniqueness of a supercell is given by the presence of an ascending current called a “mesocyclone” and for this to occur, a series of factors must be given that are very specific, among which are: the presence of an unstable atmosphere at many kilometers high, a particular atmospheric circulation, strong currents and winds with speeds of around 50 kilometers per second capable of causing convergence in the lower layers and feeding strong upward movements. It is also a “feedback” system, since the rotation within it favors its existence and can even be generated for many hours.
The destructive effects of the supercell
Therefore, the supercell consists of a single cell storm, but of gigantic dimensions (hence the prefix “super”) in which a vortex type mesocyclone and a single updraft rotating (the “heart” of the supercell) is move inward. The upward movements that compose it exceed the limit of the tropopause, from which the dome shape of the top of the convective cloud derives.
Once formed, the supercell moves, bringing with it all the destructive fury of the elements: strong winds, up to the levels of a blast (blowing over 100 kilometers per hour) and then torrential rain and hail which evidently translates into everything. a danger and damages that are usually quantified in millions.
Supercells can grow anywhere in the world and often occur in the United States . They are more frequent in the Great Plains of our planet, such as in southern Canada, northern Mexico, central-eastern Argentina, South Africa, Australia and Europe. In Spain they are not usually so common although the truth is that only in 2020 211 supercells were formed, being the second year with a greater number of this type of meteorological phenomenon after 2014.
