Last April, a supercell — a severe storm — generated two very unusual meteorological phenomena, including anticyclonic movement
A rare meteorological event hit the south-central United States at the end of April — it was a clockwise rotating tornado, which occurs in only 1% of cases in the Northern Hemisphere, in addition to another seen moving from the east to the west, both quite unusual.
Photo: Greg Lundeen/Domain Público / Canaltech
The tornado was generated by a supercell on the afternoon of April 30, a type of severe storm, hitting the US state of Oklahoma. In addition to hailstones and strong winds, this type of meteorological occurrence also generates tornadoes, and, in the case reported here, it generated several.
The city affected was, more specifically, Loveland, located in the region of the country most affected by the tornado season, which is common at this time and is usually generated by supercells. Anticyclonic tornadoes, like the one in this event, are usually weak, but this time, that was not the case.
A very rare tornado
As the meteorological phenomenon remained strong even though it rotated clockwise, the National Weather Service of the United States (National Weather Service) issued a statement defining the tornado as “large and extremely dangerous”. There were, however, no deaths due to it, as most of the event took place in the planting area, at most uprooting trees and plants to the roots.
The agency also reported that the tornado was “almost stationary,” or at least moved very slowly, which is quite unusual. To CNN, National Weather Service meteorologist Rick Smith told that, almost always, tornadoes follow the supercell throughout its path, which did not happen in this case.
A second tornado, also generated by the supercell in the USA, traveled from east to west, in the opposite direction to that common in the country and also contrary to the path of the meteorological event that generated it. It is possible that both phenomena involving tornadoes occurred simultaneously, which is extremely rare.
Hurricane season can occur at any time of the year, but the spring months are the most common for storms in the United States, with the peak being between May and early June in the mid-south. Further north, this could last until July. In April alone, the National Weather Service detected 300 tornadoes, a second-record number for the month since recorded.
Source: NWS with information from CNN
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