Flexi Says: A supercell thunderstorm is a particularly violent type of thunderstorm that produces strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes. A supercell begins like other thunderstorms when the ground is really hot and the air near the ground becomes very warm and humid. The warm air expands and rises rapidly, which creates strong updrafts. When the rising air cools, its water vapor condenses. The updrafts create tall cumulonimbus clouds. Water droplets and ice fly up through the cloud. When these droplets get heavy enough, they fall. This starts a downdraft. A convection cell develops within the cloud. A supercell forms in cases where the updraft rotates consistently due to horizontal wind shear. In a supercell, the rotating convection cell becomes very organized and rotates the entire storm system. Tornadoes can spin off of the rotating mass of clouds.
