New video showing the formation of an awesome supercell thunderstorm in Wyoming was whirling around social media Monday.
The footage comes from Basehunters storm chasers, who thumb their noses at the kind of weather that makes the rest of us weak in the knees. The video shows the darkening clouds swirling into a threatening mass and approaching, larger and larger overhead. The puny humans in the video leap out with their cameras, then leap back in their cars and speed away as the monster marches on.
Yes, distancing yourself from a supercell is likely the best idea.
This type of thunderstorm may be the most violent there is, according to the National Weather Service. Nearly all supercell storms have some type of severe weather - often damaging winds and large hail. In March 2012, a supercell thunderstorm that hit Oahu, Hawaii, produced hailstones as big as grapefruits, a new record for the state.
Supercell storms also can produce tornadoes, although that's less common, happening about 30% of the time.
The National Weather Service says a supercell may be large or small, high-topped or low-topped. What they share in common is they are usually long-lived, have a rotating updraft through much of the depth of the storm, and the ability to wreak havoc with severe weather.
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