What weather conditions are needed for a tornado?

Answer 1

In order for a tornado to form two initial conditions must be met. The potential for strong thunderstorms to develop is necessary. This usually occurs along a cold front, where a cold air mass moves into a warm air mass, forcing the warm air upwards and causing condensation.

Relatively strong wind shear is also needed. Wind shear is a condition that occurs when wind blows at different speeds or in different directions at different altitudes. The wind shear tilts the storm so that the updraft and downdraft of the storm occur in different locations, allowing it to last longer.It also creates the spin that can eventually become a tornado.

There is a balance here: if the wind shear is too weak it won't affect the storm much at all, but if it is to strong it can essentially tear the storm apart.

Answer 2

First, A collision of warm moist air with cooler and/or dryer air is usually needed to produce thunderstorms (though they can form under other conditions as well).

Second, a conditions called wind shear is needed, where the speed and/or direction of wind changes with altitude. This gives the storms the rotation needed to produce tornadoes.

Answer 3

They look for rotation in clouds, During a server thunderstorm sometime clouds start to rotate and form a funnel cloud. When it hits the floor, it is called a tornado

Answer 4

Strong rotation within a thunderstorm and a lowering of the cloud base.

Answer 5

by dopplar radar