How do tornadoes form?

How do tornadoes form? This timelapse of a tornado forming in Titanic, Okla., shows the process from the beginning.

The video above shows a tornado forming in Titanic, Okla., on Nov. 4, 2024. Severe storms, including tornadoes, can happen any time of the year, which is why it's important to keep an eye on the WeatherRadar and make sure your app alerts are turned on. But how do tornadoes form?

While all thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, supercell thunderstorms are the most likely to be tornadic. Supercell thunderstorms contain a circulation aloft, called a mesocyclone, that grows upward through the storm and downward toward the ground. When conditions are favorable, tornadoes will be produced. The parent storm of the tornado in Titanic, Okla., was a supercell.

Two main ingredients help produce tornadoes: instability - warm, moist air near the ground, with cooler, dry air aloft and wind shear - a change in wind speed and/or direction with height. The instability aids in the development of strong updrafts, while wind shear will further increase the strength of the updraft and promote the rotation from which tornadoes are produced.