re: Major tornado outbreak expected tomorrow

quote:

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You're right but he was asking how discrete cells form and why.

You can find supercells embedded in squall lines or just a touch in front, but these are always a) defined as part of the squall line and b) typically much weaker than your discrete cells due to the convective heating.

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I didn't word my question to you well but you answered it well. ACT actually hit on what I was trying to get at as well. I understand the instances where a supercell forms just ahead of the main squall line. I'm wondering more about what ingredients create a large number of discrete super cells well ahead of any QLCS that eventually forms and sweeps through an area. On April 27th the convective mode was almost exclusively super cells that were forming everywhere at an alarming rate. It wasn't until the tail end of the event that what I would consider a meager QLCS formed (at least in the Alabama portion of the storm) and this passed with little fanfare. Not only was the number of tornadic super cells incredibly rare but the duration at which they continued and the odd lack of a typical squall line to sweep everything out.

EDIT: I could be totally wrong but I don't think the trough on April 27th went negative tilt. Again, I could be totally wrong about that and wouldn't be suprised if I was given it usually takes a trough going negative tilt to produce like April 27th did.