What is a tornadoes environmental impact?

Answer 1

On the local level, the impact of a tornado can be devastating within the area that it destroys things.

The thing is, the area devastated by a a tornado is quite small. I have even seen such an are only a few meters across; the trees in it looked almost like they had been braided together, but the ones outside were undamaged.

In nature, the damage done by a tornado is nearly always quickly repaired, and though the damage is extreme and individual plants and animals are destroyed, the recovery process is quick and pretty much complete.

When a tornado hits a human environment, however, more extensive damage can happen. The impact of the tornado can include releasing chemicals, oil, and other toxins, into the environment, doing more extensive damage over a broader area. While this is not a major concern, especially compared to other potential causes of damage, it is a reason to make certain potentially hazardous materials are secure. For example, in the old days, waste chemicals were often stored in chemical ponds, which were just open areas of toxic waste. Normally this only killed whatever birds were unfortunate enough to think it was water, but a tornado, hitting such a thing, could suck it up and redistribute the toxins all over the countryside.

One thing to remember is that like some forest fires, tornadoes are part of nature and part of the natural process.

Answer 2

For affects on people:

Tornadoes can damage or destroy property and kill or injure people and their animals.

For affects on the environment:

Tornadoes can destroy trees and other vegetation and erode topsoil.

Answer 3

What causes tornadoes (complicated):

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.

The effects: manmade structures and vegetation can be damage or destroyed. In rare cases entire towns are leveled. People and animals can be injured or killed.

Answer 4

Tornadoes can take out all the fauna and trees. They can also destroy farms so people can't get their food and they end up being parched and hungry.

Answer 5

Tornadoes can destroy vegetation and animal habitats and injure or kill animals. Tornadoes can also damage or destroy human property and kill or injure the humans