mesovortex

[ mez-oh-vawr-teks, mes- ]

noun

, plural mes·o·vor·ti·ces [mez-oh-, vawr, -t, uh, -seez, mes-], mes·o·vor·tex·es

1. Meteorology. a violent swirl of wind, or cyclonic circulation, measuring 10­–100 miles (16–161 kilometers) in diameter and developing within the mid-level area of a large storm’s convective activity, especially as the storm intensifies:

   The most devastating effects of Hurricane Andrew were caused largely by the storm system’s intense mesovortices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesovortex¹

First recorded in 1945–50; meso- ( def ) + vortex ( def )