CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When we think of pools, we usually picture a pool of water -- something to cool off in. Now, the atmosphere has its own kind of pools, and they don’t involve a diving board or sunscreen.

A cold pool is a bubble of chilly air created when rain falls out of a thunderstorm cloud and some of that rain evaporates before reaching the ground. That cool air becomes heavier and plunges to the ground, spreading out along the surface fast.

When it hits the surface, it creates powerful gusts of wind that toss around leaves, dust, and sometimes even debris. This rush of air is part of what we call an outflow boundary. It's like a mini cold front created by the storm itself. You can often spot this boundary on radar as a thin line racing ahead of the storm.

Cold pools can either shu

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