Know the difference between a single cell and a super cell storm?

7/15/2020 (Permalink)

dark storm clouds above a raging sea

Know the between a single cell and a super cell storm?

According to weather.gov a single cell storm lasts 30-60 minutes, has a brief updraft & downdraft, and has brief severe weather if any. A super cell lasts longer usually hours and is very dangerous! Of course severe weather is usually accompanied with a supercell.

Wikipedia says a single cell or pulse storm life cycle is as follows:

• formation: the upward current of the cell intensifies and allows the condensation of water vapor from the rising air parcel. This forms a cumulus congestus, then a cumulonimbus when ice crystals form at its apex which spreads horizontally in contact with the tropopause.
• maturity: downdrafts are emerging. This stage is accompanied by characteristic phenomena such as lightning and thunder, showers (sometimes hail) and gust front.
• dissipation: the cold pool descending from the cloud extends to the earth's surface and helps to block the feed by pushing the updraft downstream. The outflow can then serve as a trigger for other single cell thunderstorms.

Pulse storms usually aren’t tornado producers, but they often produce large hail and/or damaging winds.

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