Can a thunder/rain storm circle around and hit the same place twice?

Answer 1

Yes, it's quite common when the storm is "sandwiched" between two fronts

Answer 2

No. An individial thunderstorm cannot circle back and hit the same place again. It is guided by the steering winds and these blow in a constant direction. New storm cells can develop and move over an area that has already been hit by a previous one.

What gives the impression that storms are circling is the change in direction of the scud, the fractostratus cloud below the storm. This moves on the wind away from the storm and is steered by the downdrafts from the storm. These can be going in the opposite direction to the storm itself.

Large systems like hurricanes can go in circles and hit the same place twice as an investigation of hurricane tracks will show. These, however, take days to complete the circuit.

Answer 3

OH yes it does that all the time here in AZ goes right around us and hits the next town and starts all over again. Every time to. We never get any rain cause of this and the clouds hover around the mountains until they decide we have had enough torture for one day and move to the next town.

Answer 4

YES!!! In my area we have a place called tornado alley, it has been hit several times, the last time it destroyed several homes. However, the town I live in has only been hit once, and it's one big hill, not a good conducer for tornadoes I guess.

Answer 5

Yes, they will sometimes do this at the center of rotation of a low pressure system or other larger scale rotation in the atmosphere.

Answer 6

Only in the sense of a hurricane or tornado.

Answer 7

Yes, unfortunately in the Northeast US we see it in the winter with snowstorms.

Answer 8

If the winds blow it back.