Why does this happens?

[u/Successful-Mark-2834]

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to the /r/tornado subreddit, #1 in Weather and Nature! Reminder: Be civil and follow the subreddit rules.

Please remember:

• Read the rules before posting!

• Be civil in discussions!

• Report rule-breaking comments!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Agreeable_Meaning_96]

[u/myturn19 → u/Agreeable_Meaning_96]

Fantastic picture for those starting out

[u/AVeryBigToaster → u/Agreeable_Meaning_96]

yes

[u/YentaMagenta]

This video is extremely sciency to the point where even I have trouble following it, but the ELI5 answer is that large tornadoes especially are made of many vorticities (spinning tubes of air) mashed together.

If I understand correctly, large tornadoes "suck in" smaller spinny bits and their rotations get incorporated into the main tornado, often further strengthening it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i7ZX8K74Eg

[u/moebro7 → u/YentaMagenta]

I'd argue that just about all tornadoes work this way. Multiple spinny bits circling a central vortex

[u/moebro7]

One word.. inflow

[u/hoppintripod83]

If that illustration isn’t from a textbook it should be in one

[u/Muted-Geologist2654]

scud clouds OR horizontal vortices.

[u/MLazarow]

Scud is the correct answer, but the specific reason is because the air in that region has been cooled by rain from the forward flank. This causes it to condense into a cloud sooner than the surrounding air.

[u/moebro7 → u/MLazarow]

Exactly opposite

[u/MLazarow → u/moebro7]

Wait what, how do you think wall clouds form?? It’s still inflow but there’s a reason it’s visible below cloud base

[u/moebro7 → u/MLazarow]

Scud happens on both sides of the equation. There's inflow dominant scud, and outflow dominant scud. The way you can tell the difference is orientation.

Outflow dominant scud is characterized by vertical motion from the RFD crashing back down to earth on the backside of the circulation.

Inflow dominant scud is defined by horizontal vortices being tilted up into the atmosphere.

[u/MLazarow → u/moebro7]

…which is exactly what happens in the Columbus, NE tornado. Inflow scud also isn’t always horizontal vortices, it’s any air that condenses below the base of the updraft. You can have it more defined by embedded vortices or a SVC element but any wall cloud is formed from this.

You have downward motion of the scud in the Columbus video likely because the inflow jet at the surface is so strong it’s pulling air from above into it, but as for the original question that is, generally, why the side of the tornado closer to the FFD can be more raggedy.

[u/moebro7 → u/MLazarow]

Not always, but the inflow notch pretty frequently produces horizontal vortices. Given that the notch is usually between the two, I see what you're saying now.

Initially the way I read it was you were saying RFD was mainly responsible and that's my bad

[u/MLazarow → u/moebro7]

All good, not entirely sure why I’m getting downvotes on the original one unless there’s more misinterpretation, oh well

[u/moebro7 → u/MLazarow]

It's because of your initial line blaming it on scud. I think most of us understand how misunderstood scud is so when we see a tornado getting labeled as scud and shit like that from people who dk what they're talking about we just react

[u/an_older_meme]

Dead man moonwalking

[u/Comprehensive-Row198 → u/an_older_meme]

Dead man dangling