This picture highlights some of the more common features
of tornadic supercell thunderstorms. The first thing you might
notice if you see a structure similiar to this in the field is
the speed of the cloud motions. On the right hand bottom side of
the picture is the inflow cloud/tail cloud. This is where warm
rush air is being pulled rapidly into the main updraft of the
storm. Once this inflow/tail cloud reaches the edge of the main
updraft it rapidly begins it ascent. Meanwhile, at the back edge
of the storm cooler drier air descends in the form of a rear
flank downdraft. Just as the warm moist inflow/tail cloud is
wrapped into the updraft, so to does the rear flank downdraft.
You can see the rear flank downdraft as the narrow clearing that
extends from the left of the main updraft nearly into the center
of the updraft. Where the rear flank downdraft extends into the
updraft is where a tornado would be possible to form.
