answersLogoWhite

0

According to the American Meteorological Society a tornado is defined thusly:

tornado-1. A violently rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, either pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud. When tornadoes do occur without any visible funnel cloud, debris at the surface is usually the indication of the existence of an intense circulation in contact with the ground. On a local scale, the tornado is the most intense of all atmospheric circulations. Its vortex, typically a few hundred meters in diameter, usually rotates cyclonically (on rare occasions anticyclonically rotating tornadoes have been observed) with wind speeds as low as 18 m s−1 (40 mph) to wind speeds as high as 135 m s−1 (300 mph). Wind speeds are sometimes estimated on the basis of wind damage using the Fujita scale. Some tornadoes may also contain secondary vortices (suction vortices). Tornadoes occur on all continents but are most common in the United States, where the average number of reported tornadoes is roughly 1000 per year, with the majority of them on the central plains and in the southeastern states (see Tornado Alley). They can occur throughout the year at any time of day. In the central plains of the United States they are most frequent in spring during the late afternoon. See also supercell tornado, nonsupercell tornado, gustnado, landspout, waterspout. 2. A violent thundersquall in West Africa and adjacent Atlantic waters.

http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?id=tornado1

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What is the definition or description of tornadoes?

of Tornado


Is tornado Spanish?

Yes. The word 'tornado' is originally Spanish.


Are tornado associated with thunder storms?

Yes, by definition a tornado is produced by s thunderstorm.


How many syllables are in the word tornado?

The word tornado has three syllables.


What is a 7 letter word for a violent storm?

Tornado.


When was the tornado named tornado?

The first documented use of the word "tornado" was in 1556.


What vocabulary word describes a tornado?

The vocabulary word that describes a tornado is "whirlwind" or "twister."


When did they start using the word tornado?

The first known use of the word "tornado" was in 1556.


Use the definition of teleology in a sentence?

the teleology of a tornado is uncertain


What country did the word tornado come from?

The word "tornado" is believed to have originated from the Spanish word "tornar," meaning "to turn" or "to twist." This was then adapted into "tornada" and eventually evolved into "tornado" in English.


What are are tornadoes?

There is no such thing as an actual tornado underwater, as a tornado is, by definition, a vortex of air. However, a vortex underwater is called a whirlpool.


What is the language of origin of tornado?

The word "tornado" comes from the Spanish word "tornado" which means "thunderstorm" or "thunderclap." The Spanish term itself has origins in the Latin word "tornare," meaning "to turn." This refers to the spinning, rotating motion of a tornado.