mesocyclone

• “The horizontally rotating mass, called a mesocyclone, is the first clue to radar observers that a thunderstorm could produce a tornado.”

  Simon & Schuster: Storm Warning

• “With enough air shooting up and down, the pinwheel is knocked on its side, creating a huge rotating mass of clouds called a mesocyclone - the hallmark of a tornado-spawning supercell storm - from which a funnel cloud can shoot down.”

  Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion

• “The rotating updraft of a supercell (called a mesocyclone when visible on radar helps the supercell to produce extreme severe weather events, such as giant hail (more than 2 inches in diameter, strong downbursts of 80 miles an hour or more, and strong to violent tornadoes.”

  A Remarkable Photo From Tornado Country - The Lede Blog - NYTimes.com

• “mesocyclone," the core rotational structure of a thunderstorm, which can produce a tornado.”

  The New Yorker

• “The rotating column a mesocyclone is drawn down to earth by moisture-laden air.”

  Simon & Schuster: MY EMPIRE OF DIRT

• “An F4 landspout hit Colorado a few years back, and landspouts are are caused by significantly different phenomena by definition, they have no mesocyclone.”

  The Volokh Conspiracy » Pathogens in Harm’s Way:

• “Meg's space buddies myhappiness crosover thewilliams gracerie595 splexer pippinsgirl i-c-dumppl paigexr leadme under-shadow b-ball-gal12 snoopy-9487 inkysoso bitterwineuk intact - gupy ivecojeff dorany ub40 kelly-writes strwbrryflds simslife4 shegoeson pernickety megsworld2 mesocyclone cloudbase fan4 leggierox”

  meganwaits Diary Entry

• “Some severe thunderstorms develop a strong vertical updraft, commonly known as a mesocyclone.”

  Thunderstorm

• “When a tornado occurs, the mesocyclone lengthens vertically, constricts, and spirals down to the ground surface.”

  Thunderstorm

• “This is a picture of a mesocyclone and wall cloud.”

  A Remarkable Photo From Tornado Country - The Lede Blog - NYTimes.com

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