mesovortex

American  

[mez-oh-vawr-teks, mes-] / ˌmɛz oʊˈvɔr tɛks, ˌmɛs- /

noun

mesovortices, plural mesovortexes plural

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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mesovortexes
  plural
• mesovortices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mesovortex

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