What is Tornadoes?
Tornadoes are one of the most violent and powerful types of weather. They consist of a very rapidly rotating column of air that often forms a funnel. They can be very dangerous because their high-speed winds can smash buildings, topple trees and even toss cars into the air.
How do Tornadoes form?
When we talk about tornadoes, we usually talk about large tornadoes that occur during thunderstorms. These types of tornadoes form from very tall thunderstorm clouds called cumulus clouds. However, it doesn’t just take a thunderstorm to cause a tornado. Other conditions must occur for a tornado to form.
The typical stages for the formation of a tornado are as follows:
A big thunderstorm occurred in the cumulus clouds
The change in wind direction and speed at high altitude causes the air to swirl horizontally
The air rising from the ground pushes the air up and turns it upside down
The vortex air funnel begins to draw more warm air from the ground
The hopper extends and extends towards the ground
When the funnel hits the ground, it becomes a tornado
Features of a Tornado
Shape – Tornadoes generally resemble a narrow funnel extending from the clouds to the ground. Sometimes giant tornadoes can look more like a wedge.
Size – Tornadoes can vary greatly in size. A typical tornado in the United States is about 500 feet across, but some can be several feet wide or nearly two miles wide.
Wind Speed - The wind speed of a tornado can vary from 65 to 250 miles per hour.
Color – Cyclones may appear different colors depending on the local environment. Some can be nearly invisible, while others can be white, gray, black, blue, red, or even green.
Rotation – Viewed from the top, most tornadoes rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
Types of Tornadoes
Supercell – A supercell is a large, prolonged thunderstorm. It can create some of the largest and most intense tornadoes.
Waterspout – A tornado that forms on the surface of the water. They usually dissipate when they hit the ground.
Landspout – A tornado is similar to a tornado, but is terrestrial. It is weak and unrelated to an air vortex from a thunderstorm.
Gustnado – A small tornado that forms on the weather front due to strong gusts of wind.
Multiple Vortex – A tornado has more than one rotating air tube.
Tornado Categories
Tornadoes are rated according to wind speed and the amount of damage they cause using a scale called the “Fujita Enhancement” scale. It is often abbreviated as the “EF” scale.
| Category | Wind Speed | Strength |
| EF-0 | 65-85 MPH | Low |
| EF-1 | 86-110 MPH | Low |
| EF-2 | 111-135 MPH | Strong |
| EF-3 | 136-165 MPH | Strong |
| EF-4 | 166-200 MPH | Violence |
| EF-5 | over 200 MPH | Violence |
Where do most Tornadoes occur?
Tornadoes can form almost anywhere, but most tornadoes in the United States occur in an area called Tornado Alley. Tornado Alley stretches from northern Texas to South Dakota and from Missouri to the Rockies.
Interesting Facts about Tornadoes
Other names for tornadoes include twister, cyclone, and funnel.
For a whirlwind to be officially called a tornado, it must hit the ground.
More tornadoes affect the United States than any other country, more than 1,000 each year.
The fastest winds on Earth occur inside tornadoes.
Don’t go faster than a tornado, the average tornado travels at 30 mph, but some can travel up to 70 mph.
Tornado Warnings and Watches
Tornadoes can be very dangerous. To save lives, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issues tornado “watches” and “warnings”. Cyclone “clock” means weather conditions favorable to the creation of a tornado. Tornado “warning” means that a tornado is happening or will happen soon. While “seeing” a tornado, you should start preparing for a tornado. When you hear a tornado “warning,” it’s time to act.