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How does wind make up a tornado?
A tornado is a very intense vortex of air. Air spirals in towards the low pressure at the center of the tornado and is then drawn upwards. Most tornadoes form from a larger vortex called a mesocyclone, which is part of the updraft of some thunderstorms. At some point this vortex tightens and intensifies to form a tornado.
How does a tornado suck up everything in its path?
Most tornadoes do not suck up everything in their path, because most are not strong enough. But tornadoes can lift objects because in addition to their powerful rotating winds they have a very strong updraft.
What role does pressure play in a tornado?
All wind on Earth is ultimately driven by pressure differences. As a general rule, the more the pressure changes over a given distance, the stronger the wind can be. A tornado is a small center of intense low pressure. That pressure drop occurs over a very short distance, which causes air to rush into the tornado rapidly and reach very high speeds in and near the core.
Why do tornadoes have downdrafts?
For the most part a tornado is actually an updraft as it is connected with the rotating updraft of its parent thunderstorm. However there are two downdrafts that are related to tornadoes. The first is the rear-flank downdraft of a thunderstorm. This downdraft is induced by rain and wraps around the rotating updraft of a supercell thunderstorm. This is believed to tighten and intensify the mesocyclone to produce a tornado. Another, less common downdraft occurs when a tornado undergoes something called vortex breakdown. The center of a tornado has low pressure, which draws air inward and upward, but in a very intense tornado the air is spinning so fast that it cannot reach the center so the low pressure draws air downward, forming a downdraft in the center of the tornado. This is a similar mechanism to what produced they eye of a hurricane.
Is the wind inside a tornado calm?
It is believed that there is a calm "eye" at the center of a tornado. But mostly the winds in a tornado are very strong.
Can a tornado destroy a steel shipping container?
It depends on how strong the tornado is. If its a weak tornado then most likely it can not, but if it's a very strong tornado it is very possible that it can.
Can a tornado change color in a second?
Perhaps not in a second, but a tornado with a strong enough updraft can change its apparent color very quickly. If a tornado moves over an area of loose soil it can lift that soil into the air and take on its color. A change in humidity or rapid intensification of a tornado can also cause a funnel to develop in a matter of seconds.
Why do tornadoes suck things?
The tornado is part of the updraft of a thunderstorm that has become focused and very intense. The pressure inside a tornado is lower than in the surroundings, so air is dran into the tornado and then upwards by the updraft.
How do you tell if a tornado is strong?
If you can see the tornado, strong tornadoes tend to be relatively wide, though not always. Additionally you can see the rotation in a tornado. If it is rotating very rapidly then it is probably strong. However, rotation that appears slower does not necessarily mean a weak tornado. Winds nearer the center or in subvortices hidden within the funnel may still be in the range of a strong to violent tornado.
What is in the center of a tornado that is very low?
The air pressure inside a tornado is very low.
How do tornadoes pick up things?
A tornado forms when a mesocyclone, a powerful, rotating updraft found in some thunderstorms, tightens an intensifies. As a result, the tornado has a very powerful updraft that can lift objects off the ground.
What causes air to rush into a tornado?
Air rushes into a tornado due to the low pressure at the center of the vortex, which creates a pressure gradient that pulls surrounding air inward. As the warm, moist air converges towards the tornado, it begins to spin due to the Earth's rotation and the updraft created by the storm, eventually forming the tornado.
