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APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 30)

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:06 am
by APOD Robot
Image A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over Montana

Explanation: Is that a spaceship or a cloud? Although it may seem like an alien mothership, it's actually a impressive thunderstorm cloud called a supercell. Such colossal storm systems center on mesocyclones -- rotating updrafts that can span several kilometers and deliver torrential rain and high winds including tornadoes. Jagged sculptured clouds adorn the supercell's edge, while wind swept dust and rain dominate the center. A tree waits patiently in the foreground. The above supercell cloud was photographed in July west of Glasgow, Montana, USA, caused minor damage, and lasted several hours before moving on.

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Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:36 am
by owlice
Wow. That's some cloud!!

Oh, and neufer is in one of the links! :shock: (Better in the links than in the cloud.)

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:39 am
by Boomer12k
Uh, is it just me, or is "Duck and Cover" NOT GOING TO COVER THIS ONE????

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 6:57 am
by stardark
anty emme ! its a twister! its a twister!

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:01 am
by bystander
No, but I wouldn't be surprised if a twister came from it. That's what super cells do.

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:12 am
by neufer
owlice wrote:
Wow. That's some cloud!!

Oh, and neufer is in one of the links! :shock: (Better in the links than in the cloud.)
  • Please do not feed the bear.
[size=200][color=#0000FF]Life's a pic-a-nic.[/color][/size]


Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:43 pm
by orin stepanek
Awesome Thunderstorm!

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:19 pm
by jfs
(re Nov. 30, 2010) What did the photographer do that caused minor damage over several hours before moving on?

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:23 pm
by owlice
jfs wrote:(re Nov. 30, 2010) What did the photographer do that caused minor damage over several hours before moving on?
The cloud is the subject of that sentence, not the photographer.

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:23 pm
by mexhunter
Simply stunning.
Greetings
César

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 6:57 pm
by neufer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercell wrote: <<A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone; a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. Of the four classifications of thunderstorms (supercell, squall line, multi-cell, and single-cell), supercells are the overall least common and have the potential to be the most severe. Supercells are often isolated from other thunderstorms, and can dominate the local climate up to 20 miles away.

Supercells are often put into two classification types: Low-precipitation (LP) and High-precipitation (HP). LP supercells are usually found in climates that are more arid, such as the high plains of the United States, and HP supercells are most often found in moist climates. Supercells can occur anywhere in the world under the right pre-existing weather conditions, but they are most common in the Great Plains of the United States.

Supercells are usually found isolated from other thunderstorms, although they can sometimes be embedded in a squall line. Because they can last for hours, they are known as quasi-steady-state storms. Supercells have the capability to deviate from the mean wind. If they track to the right or left of the mean wind (relative to the vertical wind shear), they are said to be "right-movers" or "left-movers," respectively. Supercells can sometimes develop two separate updrafts with opposing rotations, which splits the storm into two supercells: one left-mover and one right-mover.

Supercells can be any size – large or small, low or high topped. They usually produce copious amounts of hail, torrential rainfall, strong winds, and substantial downbursts. Supercells are one of the few types of clouds that typically spawn tornadoes within the mesocyclone, although only 30% or less do so.>>

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:14 pm
by NoelC
Awesome, though microscopically miniscule compared to many of the clouds we see in APOD images.

All I can say is that I'm glad enough space debris (magnetic and otherwise) accumulated so that the Earth holds onto this fine atmosphere we have, and hats off to the bacteria and green plants that have given us all this wonderful free oxygen to enjoy.

-Noel

Flying Saucers from Saturn

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:33 pm
by neufer
APOD Robot wrote:Image A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over Montana

Explanation: Is that a spaceship or a cloud? Although it may seem like an alien mothership, it's actually a impressive thunderstorm cloud called a supercell.
Click to play embedded YouTube video.

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:58 pm
by Beyond
This is not the first time that it has visited Earth. The last time that it was here, it hovered over the Sahara Ocean for two weeks :!:

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:42 pm
by Josh
Was this picture created using HDR processing?

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:37 am
by biddie67
Absolutely awesome !!!!!! Also, never having traveled in that area of the country, I had no idea that such an expanse of flat land existed there - this is awesome also ......

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:41 pm
by Smirk
Obviously nothing to do with Astronomy-but as I dog tornado's :D and such--it is cool

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:04 am
by RJN
The Daily Mail did an interesting story on an mage sequence that included the image used by APOD:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... ntana.html.

Pretty interesting, and I'm glad to see the Daily Mail take an interest in real science. Doesn't it seem, though, that their first paragraph is a perhaps a little bit similar to the APOD text?

- RJN

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:00 am
by owlice
This image was on the ABC affiliate news here in DC tonight. I didn't see it -- I was still at work -- but received a couple of texts about it.

And yes, there are striking similarities between the texts. :shock:

Re: APOD: A Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over... (2010 Nov 3

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:16 pm
by laura_abc
amazing! :|
where was the hardest? :?