Where can tornados occur?

Answer 1

Anywhere in the world...but only under certain circumstances.

Tornadoes can occur anywhere in the world and at anytime with given favorable conditions, except in Antarctica. True Tornadoes do not occur here.

Tornadoes can and usually originate from supercell thunderstorms that contain a mesocyclone. A mesocyclone is a horizontal whirling air mass within the cumulonimbus(Cb) cloud. The warm air updraft can push the mesocyclone to a vertical position. The storm relative helicity has an important role in the tornadoes development and strength. The rear flank down draft helps to push the mesocyclone down and soon what appears at the base of the cumuliform cloud (which is most likely a rotating wall cloud) is a funnel cloud forming. The funnel cloud is NOT a tornado until it makes contact with the earth. Several things may be taking place as the funnel is slowly descending (not all funnels descend slowly, some do some don't. Some have difficulty in forming and pull back into the cloud). The sky may change color, it can be black or a greenish color, usually signs that a tornado is in its forming stages, but is not always a guarantee. There will be hail, usually quite heavy. A rain-free base of the cumuliform cloud. This is usually the area where the tornado is located. There can be lightning, but some tornadoes have no lightning or very little.

Keeping a watch on the sky, when things don't look good, find out if any severe weather watches have been posted and if they have, follow directions. Even with Doppler radar, a tornado can descend before the tornado vortex signature is seen on radar and that indicates that a mesocyclone has been spotted in a supercell and it is favorable for tornadic development. With Doppler radar, meteorologists say there is about a 7-9 minute window before the tornado comes. You cant depend on that. When the watch is posted, you much take shelter immediately.

Answer 2

Anywhere in the world...but only under certain circumstances.

Tornadoes can occur anywhere in the world and at anytime with given favorable conditions, except in Antarctica. True Tornadoes do not occur here.

Tornadoes can and usually originate from supercell thunderstorms that contain a mesocyclone. A mesocyclone is a horizontal whirling air mass within the cumulonimbus(Cb) cloud. The warm air updraft can push the mesocyclone to a vertical position. The storm relative helicity has an important role in the tornadoes development and strength. The rear flank down draft helps to push the mesocyclone down and soon what appears at the base of the cumuliform cloud (which is most likely a rotating wall cloud) is a funnel cloud forming. The funnel cloud is NOT a tornado until it makes contact with the earth. Several things may be taking place as the funnel is slowly descending (not all funnels descend slowly, some do some don't. Some have difficulty in forming and pull back into the cloud). The sky may change color, it can be black or a greenish color, usually signs that a tornado is in its forming stages, but is not always a guarantee. There will be hail, usually quite heavy. A rain-free base of the cumuliform cloud. This is usually the area where the tornado is located. There can be lightning, but some tornadoes have no lightning or very little.

Keeping a watch on the sky, when things don't look good, find out if any severe weather watches have been posted and if they have, follow directions. Even with Doppler radar, a tornado can descend before the tornado vortex signature is seen on radar and that indicates that a mesocyclone has been spotted in a supercell and it is favorable for tornadic development. With Doppler radar, meteorologists say there is about a 7-9 minute window before the tornado comes. You cant depend on that. When the watch is posted, you much take shelter immediately.