Various scales of the multiple-vortex phenomena observed in atmospheric vortices are reviewed and summarized. The nonaxisymmetric feature clearly seen in small-scale vortices such as tornadoes is also recognized in the vortices of tropical cyclones. On the basis of both the physical resemblances and the swirl ratio similarity, this asymmetry in tropical cyclones is concluded to be a manifestation of multiple vortices. It is suggested that the evolution of a vortex from one-cell to two-cell to multiple vortices is a common feature in nature found not only in tornadoes, but also in other kinds of vortices, ranging from dust devils to tropical cyclones. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1987