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Vorticies is the mis-spelling of the word vortices, which is the plural (more than one) form of the word vortex. In physics, a vortex is a three-dimensional, spiral flow of a gas or fluid or plastic or particles. Many open system fluids tend to form such flows, for example, star systems, galaxies, and some sub-atomic particles. So, in weather a funnel cloud (tornado), or a water spout (a tornado over water) or a hurricane (large low-pressure storm system) are examples of vortices. Often conditions are right for the formation of multiple tornado vortices. A small water vortex almost always forms when you suddenly pull the plug out on a bathroom or laundry room or kitchen sink full of water. The water will swirl around as it drains down the drainpipe. (This also happens in older flush toilets that use several gallons of water per flush). There are theories associated about what circular spin--clockwise or counterclockwise--direction the water will tend to go depending on if you are situated in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere of the planet Earth due to the Coriolis effect. In a chemistry lab, there are 1 to 2 inch long magnetic, glass coated rods that are placed within chemical mixing beakers that are then placed upon a speed controlled motor system that magnetically couples with the rod to make it stir the contents of the beaker. If the beaker contains a sufficient fluid level and the stirring motor's speed is set sufficiently high, the fluid mixture in the beaker will spontaneously form a vortex circulating in the direction of the spinning rod. Viktor Schauberger is famous for studying water vortices for applications in industry such as logging using water troughs to transport heavy logs down hills. A Walt Disney movie about a cougar featured such a logging operation, and the cougar caught a ride down the hill on one of the logs travelling down such a trough.
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What are vertices in a tornado as it is spinning and what do they look like?
Suction vorticies as smaller columns of rotating air within a tornado. They have more intense winds than the rest of the tornado. The suction vortices sometimes look like "mini tornadoes" moving around inside the main circulation.
Where does the wind spin fastest in a tornado?
It depends on the tornado. If it is a single vortex tornado the winds near at the edge of the core will be the fastest. However, many of the strongest tornadoes are multivortex, meaning that they have smaller vorticies (almost like mini tornadoes) inside the main vortex. In a multivortex tornado the fastest winds are within these subvortices.
What is the difference between blizzards and typhoons?
A cyclone is virtually any large-scale atmospheric low pressure system with a closed circulation, rotating clockwise if in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise if in the southern. This is called cyclonic rotation. They come in a number of varieties. They often produce precipitation and may produce strong winds A blizzard is a winter storm that produces winds of at least 35 mph, blowing snow, and visibility of 1/4 mile or less. Many blizzards are mid-latitude or polar cyclones. A hurricane is a strong tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 74 mph. Hurricanes (called typhoons or simply cyclones in other parts of the world) are the strongest of all cyclones with the strongest having winds of 200 mph. They develop over warm ocean water, and are capable of producing large waves, major flooding, and catastrophic damage. A tornado is a violently rotating vortex of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes share some characteristics of cyclones, most notably that the vast majority have cyclonic rotation, though a small percentage are anticyclonic, meaning they rotate the other way. However, unlike cyclones, which are large scale weather systems usually a few hundred miles wide, tornadoes are relatively short-lived small-scale vorticies dependent on a larger parent thunderstorm. Tornadoes are typically 50 to 100 yards wide, but can be as large as 2.5 miles. Tornadoes are the most violent of all storms, with some having winds over 300 mph.
What are fire tornadoes?
Fire tornadoes, also called fire whirls or fire devils are vorticies of smoke or flame that can form during very intense fires. These vorticies are technically not tornadoes.
What is a multivortex?
The term "multivortex," which is short for "multiple vortex" is used to describe a tornado with two or more subvorticies or suction vorticies moving around inside it. These vorticies have stronger winds than those found in other parts of the tornado and often produce crescent-shaped areas of more severe damage. Sometimes these vorticies are visible, giving the appearance of two or more tornadoes when it is still in fact one larger tornado.
Do tornadoes only have one funnel?
Usually they do, but there are multivortex tornadoes. These have small vortices, almost like smaller tornadoes, circling inside the main circulation. Most of the time these vorticies are hidden inside the main funnel, but sometimes, if the humidity is right these smaller vorticies are visible as multiple funnels
What is different from a vortex from a tornado?
A tornado is just one kind of vortex. Vorticies (vortexes) can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can form in just about any liquid or gas that isn't too viscous. Tornadoes are vorticies of air that range in size from a few yards to about 2.5 miles in diameter and a few thousand feet to a few miles in height. They produce violent winds capable of causing damage. Some tornadoes have smaller vorticies circling within them. Tornadoes are driven by complicated interactions of air currents within a thunderstorm. Other vorticies form in a variety of mediums, though on earth the most common are in air and water. They range from tiny eddies a fraction of an inch in size to weather systems and ocean currents thousands of miles across. No other type of vortex on earth can match the intensity of the most violent tornadoes, though the storms on other planets (which are usually enormous vorticies) can.
What do tornadoes and helicopters have in common?
Rotation. Tornadoes a violently rotating vorticies of air and the rotor of a helicopter also spins rapidly.
When a tornado gets stronger what forms?
As a tornado intensifies it may develop a series of smaller vorticies within the main circulation.
Are whirlpools and waterspouts the same thing?
No because waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that cross over water; they are vorticies of air. A whirlpool is a vortex that is actually in the water itself.
Do tornadoes really skip?
They usually don't exactly skip. There are several factors that may create the appearance of this. Tornadoes fluctuate in intensity. Some tornadoes have smaller, more intense vorticies in side the main circulation. These vorticies can produce very narrow swaths of more intense damage. Some tornadoes have very narrow damage paths. The quality of a building's construction can affect how much damage it takes.
What is a twin tornado?
The term may be used to describe a tornado with two visible suction vorticies, or two separate tornadoes on the ground at the same time in the same general area.
What are Small tornadoes around the main tornado?
Smaller tornadoes near a larger tornadoes are often called satellite tornadoes. Smaller vortices within a tornado are called subvorticies or suction vorticies.
Why do tornadoes split?
Tornadoes don't exactly split. Though there are multiple vortex tornadoes, these tornadoes have multiple, more intense vorticies moving inside the main circulation. The mechanisms behind this are not fully understood but some information is known. If a tornado intensifies rapidly a downdraft may force its way down the center of the tornado. This process is called vortex breakdown. If the ratio of horizontal wind velocity to vertical wind velocity is right, the tornado may then develop these smaller vorticies, though it is still considered one tornado.
Are fire tornadoes real?
Sort of but, they are called fire whirls but technically aren't tornadoes. They form in a way more like dust devils than real tornadoes.
