Final answer:
The statement about mesocyclone wind speeds increasing if the radius contracts inward is true, based on the conservation of angular momentum.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that wind speeds of the mesocyclone must increase if the radius contracts inward is True. This phenomenon can be explained by the principle of the conservation of angular momentum, which is a physics concept stating that if no external torque is applied to a system, its angular momentum remains constant. When a spinning object's radius decreases, such as in the case of the rotating updraft in a supercell mesocyclone, it must spin faster to conserve angular momentum. This is analogous to an ice skater pulling in their arms to spin faster.
Furthermore, the eye of the storm serves as the center of rotation, and it is noted that winds are weaker at the eye due to the tangential velocity being inversely proportional to the square of the radius of curvature.