While it's a separate, secondary tornado, both it and the primary funnel develop from the same parent mesocyclone. Because satellite tornadoes are rare and not well-documented, their ...

Some research suggests that a wider mesocyclone is more likely to create a stronger, longer-lasting tornado than other storms. Forecasters also look at the storm's environmental conditions ...

The mesocyclone provides a continuous supply of warm, moist air that fuels the tornado, allowing it to remain on the ground for extended periods. In simpler terms, think of the mesocyclone as a ...

Some research suggests that a wider mesocyclone is more likely to create a stronger, longer-lasting tornado than other storms. Forecasters also look at the storm’s environmental conditions ...

Steve Horstmeyer's Severe Weather Primer Part 8 - Mesocyclone Tornadoes This post assumes you have read Severe Weather Primer Parts 1 - 7. The image below marks a monumental date in the history of ...

Other field campaigns followed, but scientists still haven’t definitively answered why some supercell thunderstorms create tornadoes while others don’t progress beyond a mesocyclone.

Read Tornadoes Fast Facts on CNN and learn more about twisters, or the funnel-shaped clouds that form under thunderclouds and contain rapidly rotating air.