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Why do tornadoes have so much energy and where does the energy come from?
MichaelThompson
A tornado gets it energy from its parent thunderstorm. The storm gets its energy from instability in the air, often resulting from a collision of warm moist air with cool and/or dry air. The warm moist air is the actual energy source. The water vapor in it holds a surprising amount of energy.
The majority of tornadoes form from supercells, the most powerful type of thunderstorms on earth. Structural differences between supercells and ordinary thunderstorms allow them to release energy more efficiently. The strongest part of a supercell is the mesocyclone or rotating updraft. This is powered by the buoyancy of warm, moist air that in some cases can rise at over 100 mph. A tornado forms when the rotation of a mesocyclone becomes more focused. So essentially the kinetic energy from a vortex several miles across becomes focused in an area just a few hundred feet across.
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Why does England not get tornadoes?
It does, however the tornadoes in England are weak and so rarely make headlines. The reason England rarely sees significant tornadoes is its relatively cool climate, which does not provide much energy to power tornadic thunderstorms. Tornadoes form most easily near the boundary of a very warm, moist air mass.
Why are there so many tornadoes in Florida?
Florida has a very warm moist climate, which provides a lot of energy to fuel storm that can produce tornadoes.
Why do tornadoes form from clouds?
It is not so much the could themselves that form tornadoes but thunderstorms. Tornadoes typically form from a thunderstorm's rotating updraft called a mesocyclone. The energy that powers all thunderstorms comes from latent heat released as water vapor condenses to form clouds. Some of this energy may be passed on though wind currents to produce a tornado.
What makes tornadoes so dangerous if they only reflect on small amount of energy?
Tornadoes do release a rather large amount of energy, though the amount is small compared to other storm types. One way of explaining it is in terms of energy density. While the total amount of energy released by a tornado is less than that of other storms, it is focused in a much smaller area. As a result, damage from tornadoes tends to be severe, but also very localized.
Why are tornadoes so rare?
Tornadoes require a fairly specific set of conditions to develop. The factors have to come together in just the right way.
Do cumulonimbus clouds appear in tornadoes?
Cumulus clouds don't so much appear in tornadoes. It is more accurate to say that tornadoes descend from cumulonimbus clouds.
Do tornadoes happen in any specific place?
yes,there are places that tornadoes go alot and not so much,such as tornado alley
Why might global warming produce more thunderstorms and tornadoes?
The simple logic goes that a warmer atmosphere would mean more energy is available to power thunderstorms and tornadoes. In reality weather and climate are much more complicated than this, so the actual outcomes are not certain.
Why are tornadoes attracted to water?
Tornadoes aren't so much attracted to water so much as water helps them form. Tornadoes form in thunderstorms, which are powered by moist air. A body of water adds moisture to the air, which can strengthen a thunderstorm and make it more likely to produce a tornado.
Which is stronger tornadoes or cyclones?
The term cyclone refers to a wide variety of weather phenomena. Many cyclones are not particularly violent, though tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) generally are. Generally speaking tornadoes are more violent than cyclones but cyclones cover a much larger area and so release much more energy.
Are there any tornadoes that have caused so much destruction and have a name?
No. While many tornadoes have caused an incredible amount of destruction, they are not given names.
Is there a link between tornadoes and global warming?
So far no conclusive link has been found between tornadoes and global warming. Extra heat in the atmosphere is a form of energy, and energy drives tornadoes. Scientists predict that global warming will cause more frequent and more severe "weather events". Climate, however, takes time to change so it is unclear yet what is happening.
