What are supercells and tornadoes?

A tornado is a violently rotating an often destructive column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. They are often made visible by a condensation funnel and a cloud of dust and/or debris.

A supercell is a type of very powerful, rotating thunderstorm typically defined by a rotating updraft called a mesocyclone. They are the strongest thunderstorms on earth. The majority of tornadoes are produced by the mesocyclone of a supercell.