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The formation of tornadoes is complicated.
First, a condition called wind shear, in which the speed or direction of the wind changes with altitude. If the shear is strong enough it can essentially tilt a thunderstorm, this separates the updraft and downdraft of the thunderstorm, preventing them from interfering with one another. This allows the storm to become stronger and last longer.
Additionally, if the wind shear is strong enough it can start the air rolling in what is called horizontal vorticity. This horizontal vorticity can then be turned vertical by a thunderstorm's updraft. When this happens, the thunderstorm may start rotating. The rotation is especially strong in an updraft called a mesocyclone. If the storm intensifies rapidly enough, a relatively warm downdraft called a rear-flank downdraft or RFD can wrap around the bottom part of the mesocyclone. This can then tighten and intensify its rotation and bring it down to the ground to produce a tornado.
Aurore Cartwright
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What a tornado looks like?
A waterspout it a tornado that forms on a body of water. It looks like a land formed tornado but on a smaller scale.
What type of climate do tornado forms in?
Warm climates .
Is a tsunami just a water tornado?
No. A tsunami and a tornado are two completely different things. A tsunami is a large wave or series of waves usually triggered by an underwater earthquake or landslide. A tornado is a violent vortex of air that forms during a thunderstorm. A tornado that forms on water is called a waterspout.
What is water in a shape of a tornado called?
A vortex that forms in water is called a whirlpool.
What happens when rapidly falling cold air meets rapidly rising hot air?
A tornado forms
What forms the shape of a tornado?
a tornado is formed by a thunderstorm
Where is a tornado called a waterspout?
A tornado is called a waterspout anywhere that it forms on water.
A whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud?
The whirling wind forms a tornado.
What do you call a tornado that forms over a calm sea?
A tornado on water is called a waterspout.
Does a tornado cause the air inside a thunderstorm to spin?
No. It is the spinning air that forms a tornado.
Does the air pressure change inside the tornado?
Yes the pressure drops as the tornado forms and progresses. The tornado's lowest pressure is in the center.
Why does a tornado move up instead of down?
Air in a tornado moves up because the tornado forms in the updraft portion of a thunderstorm.
What a tornado looks like?
A waterspout it a tornado that forms on a body of water. It looks like a land formed tornado but on a smaller scale.
What type of clouds grow during a tornado?
When a tornado forms it often produces a funnel cloud.
What type of cloud is in a tornado?
The cloud that forms the visible part of a tornado is called a funnel cloud.
What type of climate do tornado forms in?
Warm climates .
What kind of circulation is a tornado?
A tornado is a violent microscale circulation with a low pressure center and forms from a thunderstorm.
