How do tornadoes work?

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Tornadoes start out with severe thunderstorms called supercells. They form when polar air comes in contact with tropical air in a very unstable atmosphere. Supercells contain a rotating updraft of air that is known as a mesocyclone, which keeps them going for a long time. High winds add to the rotation, which keeps getting faster and faster until eventually it forms a funnel. The funnel cloud creates a sucking area of low pressure at the bottom. As soon as this funnel comes in to contact with the Earth, you have a tornado.