Supercell thunderstorm, Texas, USA. Time-lapse footage of a tornadic supercell that occurred in May 2015, in Texas, USA. This storm stayed almost stationary as it produced a 20-minute-long EF2 tornado that stayed over open countryside for its entire life cycle. A supercell thunderstorm is a severe long-lived storm within which the wind speed and direction changes with height. This produces a strong rotating updraft of warm air, known as a mesocyclone, and a separate downdraft of cold air. Tornadoes may form in the mesocyclone, in which case the storm is classified as a tornadic supercell thunderstorm. The storms also produce torrential rain and hail. This footage was filmed on 5 May 2015, north of Big Springs, Texas, USA. |