Question: What is the triple point?

Answer: The official definition in Meteorology of a triple point is “The intersection point between two boundaries (dry line, outflow boundary, cold front, etc.), often a focus for thunderstorm development.” (NOAA)

For this drawn example, the occluded front is where the cold air has already caught up to the warm front. That is because the cold front moves faster than the warm front. 

Where the cold and warm front are intersecting is where we have a lot of lift and wind shear which are both needed for severe storms and tornadoes to form. There also can be ample moisture at the triple point is well. All these reasons combined are why severe weather often happens at the triple point.

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