supercell

American  

[soo-per-sel] / ˈsu pərˌsɛl /

noun

Meteorology.

1. a highly organized thunderstorm that can last for several hours, capable of producing both updrafts and downdrafts exceeding 100 miles per hour, large hailstones, tornadoes, and flash flooding (often used attributively).

   a supercell in Kansas City;

   supercell storms.

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Etymology

Origin of supercell

First recorded in 1960–65; super- ( def. ) + cell ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

supercell

There were no reports of injuries in the tornado in Stalybridge, believed to have been caused by a "supercell" thunderstorm.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2023

Such “intense supercell thunderstorms ” are only expected to become more common, especially in Southern states, as temperatures rise around the world.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 31, 2023

Researchers at Northern Illinois University looked at data from the past 15 years, which compared different types of supercell storms.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2023

That includes Rolling Fork, where study authors project an increase of one supercell a year by the year 2100.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 27, 2023

The tornadoes stretched from the Louisiana border of Mississippi through Alabama as part of a supercell, or rotating thunderstorm — a rare, extended path for such a storm.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 25, 2023