Oldest Historic Account of a Supercell ?
2500 years ago , the biblical prophet Ezekiel wrote an account which I think contain some details that are now only understood in light of modern meteorology . Though he was certainly describing more than a natural storm in the text , he wrote about a great cloud and "a whirlwind coming out of the north ".
Ezekiel Chapter 1
" And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire." (Ez 1:4 ) (KJV)
Another version states... "As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire" ( NASB)
There are 4 things in this passage typical of a supercell (mesocyclone ) thunderstorm .
1-A large stormcloud/Whirlwind ". The Hebrew word is translated "whirlwind" . It also means an unusual type of storm .In the Greek septuagent it speaks of a "mega " storm and "winds lifting up "
2-Continious lightning , typical of a mesocylone " fire flashing forth continually"
3-Updraft and/or rotation . The updraft portion a supercell has the appearance of clouds rolling into itself a "great cloud, and a fire infolding itself " Also the Hebrew word means something like "catching itself around" "in a circle" . It could also be referring to its cloud rotation base .
4 The rainbow, v-28
Tom Windsor (WindPhoto.com)
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Oldest Historic Account of a Supercell ? 2500 years ago , the biblical prophet Ezekiel wrote an account which I think contain some details that are now only understood in light of modern meteorology . Though he was certainly describing more than a natural storm in the text , he wrote about a great cloud and "a whirlwind coming out of the north ". Ezekiel Chapter 1 " And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire." (Ez 1:4 ) (KJV) Another version states... "As I looked, behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire" ( NASB) There are 4 things in this passage typical of a supercell (mesocyclone ) thunderstorm . 1-A large stormcloud/Whirlwind ". The Hebrew word is translated "whirlwind" . It also means an unusual type of storm .In the Greek septuagent it speaks of a "mega " storm and "winds lifting up " 2-Continious lightning , typical of a mesocylone " fire flashing forth continually" 3-Updraft and/or rotation . The updraft portion a supercell has the appearance of clouds rolling into itself a "great cloud, and a fire infolding itself " Also the Hebrew word means something like "catching itself around" "in a circle" . It could also be referring to its cloud rotation base . 4 The rainbow, v-28 Tom Windsor (WindPhoto.com) |
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