Thunderstorm gales refer to strong winds with a wind speed ≥17 m·s-1 caused by strong convective weather systems, which are one of meso-scale and micro-scale strong convective weather that causes huge disasters. Understanding their formation mechanisms and conducting accurate nowcasting and early warning are the keys to disaster prevention and mitigation. This paper summarizes the existing studies on the formation mechanisms and nowcasting of thunderstorm gales, including synoptic patterns, environmental characteristics, different formation mechanisms and windstorm morphologies, as well as nowcasting technology. Most thunderstorm gales are generated in supercells, squall lines, and bow echoes through strong downdraft, gust front, momentum transmission, horizontal pressure gradient between outflow and ambient wind, dynamic forcing and superimposed effect of mesoscale vortex, and pumping effect of updraft on low-level warm and moist inflow, etc. On the basis of above review, the difficulties and much-need issues of the formation mechanisms and nowcasting of thunderstorm gales are discussed.