What causes a mesocyclone to form within a thunderstorm?

clio skywarn2007-02-20T20:01:10Z

Favorite Answer

A storm-scale region of rotation, typically around 2-6 miles in diameter and often found in the right rear flank of a supercell (or often on the eastern, or front, flank of an HP storm). The circulation of a mesocyclone covers an area much larger than the tornado that may develop within it.

Properly used, mesocyclone is a radar term; it is defined as a rotation signature appearing on Doppler radar that meets specific criteria for magnitude, vertical depth, and duration. Therefore, a mesocyclone should not be considered a visually-observable phenomenon (although visual evidence of rotation, such as curved inflow bands, may imply the presence of a mesocyclone).

Kevin B2007-02-22T12:22:02Z

The Cause of a mesocyclone is wind shear. Wind Shear causes parcells of air to rotate horizantially, then a updraft form which makes the horizantally rotating air to become vertical.

Anonymous2007-02-20T17:09:59Z

TYpically strong vertical motion, good airmass convergence (a point where warm and cold air collide), cold air aloft, and Wind Shear (Jet stream Energy).