answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Change in air pressure causes the strong winds. In fact, most winds that we experience on Earth are caused by change in air pressure. Usually significant changes in air pressure occur over a large area and therefore it's only a slow change in pressure over distance making light winds. In a tornado, you get a significant drop in air pressure over just a few feet of land. This causes the winds to get excessivly high.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

Uneven heating and cooling of the Earth's surface and unbalanced air pressure.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

Large differences in pressure.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What causes the strong winds in a tornado?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What causes the strong winds associated with tornadoes and thunderstorms?

The strong winds in a tornado are causes by the steep pressure gradient surrounding it, with intense low pressure at the tornado's center. Strong winds in thunderstorms are usually caused by rain cooled air falling rapidly to ground level in an even called a downburst.


What causes most damage from a tornado?

The greatest amount of damage in a tornado is caused by extremely strong winds. Additional damage is from flying debris.


What causes tornado damage?

Tornado damaged is caused by a tornado's powerful winds and objects carried y those winds.


How strong can the winds in a tornado funnel reach?

On rare occasions winds in a tornado can get to a little over 300mph.


Do strong winds occur before a tornado?

yes


Why are strong tornadoes faster then weak tornadoes?

Strong tornadoes do not necessarily move faster, but the faster winds inside the tornado are the reason they're stronger. There are a number of factors affecting the strength of the winds inside a tornado and scientists still do not fully understand them. One factor simply has to do with the amount of energy in the atmosphere that can power a thunderstorm and thus a tornado. A thunderstorm also has to have strong rotation to produce a tornado, especially a strong one. If the rotation in a storm isn't strong enough, then not much of the energy will go into the winds of the tornado. Finally, the tornado's level or organization influences the winds it can generate. A disorganized tornado is unlikely to be able to focus its energy to produce the extreme winds seen in strong tornadoes.


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.


The destructive power of a tornado is due to what?

Very strong winds are the primary destructive force in a tornado. Secondary damage can be caused by objects picked up by these winds.


How do you know how strong a tornado is?

Meteorologists and engineers look at the aftermath to determine the intensity of the winds. It is possible to get a rough idea of how strong a tornado is by how fast its rotating.


How strong can thunderstorms winds get without a tornado?

Microbursts can produce winds of up to 150 miles per hour.


What type of storm has wind speeds from 250-300 M.P.H?

The only type of storm that can achieve such winds is a tornado, and even for a tornado such strong winds are very rare.


What is the most important characteristic or feature of a tornado?

Very strong rotating winds.