The Anatomy of a Tornado

Anyone who has lived through a tornado will tell you that these are the most terrifyingly beautiful things on Earth. The amount of power that a tornado wields is equal parts impressive, mesmerizing, and horrifying. We all love witnessing their raw power through the images and videos captured by storm chasers, and we wait with bated breath to see the cost of their passing. The amount of devastation that just one tornado can cause is hard to comprehend. Since these beasts are so deadly and destructive, we have put an uncharacteristic amount of time and effort into understanding them.

After all, the only way to protect yourself from something is to get to know it…

Learn about these amazing structures at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-anatomy-of-a-tornado/

Image:
NOAA

Nebraskan supercell

This is an utterly fantastic image, taken by Jeremy Holmes, of a Nebraskan supercell.

A supercell (also known as a rotating thunderstorm) is a type of thunderstorm that forms in the presents of rotating updraft. Overall, supercells are less common than a classic run-of-the-mill thunderstorm, which is fortunate since supercells have the potential of being very severe. They are most commonly identified by their ominous rotating structure and usually occur in arid climates (such as the Great Plains of the United States), but supercells can form anywhere in the world under the right conditions.

Sources and further reading: http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/nebraskan-supercell/

Image credit: Jeremy Holmes
http://www.irvisions.com/