answersLogoWhite

0

No, that is a complete myth. It is the wind and debris in a tornado that destroys buildings.

First the pressure drop is not enough to cause significant damage to a building. The largest reliably recorded pressure drop in a tornado was 100 millibars, but a pressure difference of about 350 millibars is needed to destroy most buildings.

Second, buildings are not airtight so pressure will equalize quickly.

Third, even if the two statements above were not true the winds and debris in moderate to strong tornado would create enough holes to equalize pressure, if not destroy the building before the center of the tornado (where the lowest pressure is) reaches it. A tornado with a 100 millibar pressure drop would produce winds strong enough to completely level most structures.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Earth Science
Related Questions

Is this a myth or a fact the low pressure with a tornado causes buildings to explode as the tornado passes overhead?

This is a fact. The low pressure associated with a tornado can cause buildings to explode as the tornado passes overhead. The rapid change in pressure inside and outside a building can create a force that can lead to structural failure and cause the building to explode.


Does low pressure in a tornado cause buildings to explode as the tornado passes overhead?

No, buildings do not explode due to low pressure in a tornado. The destructive force in a tornado comes from high-speed winds and flying debris, not pressure differentials. Buildings may collapse or sustain damage from the strong winds and debris impact.


Would low pressure tornado cause buildings to explode as the tornado passes overhead?

No. This was once believed but has since been disproven. The pressure drop inside a tornado is insufficient to cause significant damage. Damage is caused instead by the wind in the tornado and debris carried by it. Even in a tornado of moderate intensity, this damage would put enough holes in a building to equalize pressure rather quickly.


What is true low pressure with a tornado causes building to explode?

No, low pressure in a tornado does not cause buildings to explode. That is a common myth.


It can explode buildings because of sudden air pressure shifts?

Tornados


What type of air pressure do tornadoes have?

Tornadoes have low air pressure at their center, known as the "eye" of the tornado. This sudden drop in air pressure can contribute to the destructive forces of a tornado by causing buildings to implode and trees to snap.


What color is the sky when there is a tornado looming overhead?

The sky can appear dark or greenish when a tornado is looming overhead.


How does air pressure change in a tornado?

In a tornado, air pressure decreases at the center of the funnel due to the rapidly rotating winds. This decrease in pressure is what causes buildings to implode and debris to be lifted into the air. On the outer edges of the tornado, air pressure may increase due to the convergence of winds entering the tornado.


Air pressure inside the funnel cloud of a tornado is extremely what?

The air pressure inside the funnel cloud of a tornado is extremely low. The pressure can be significantly lower than the surrounding air, which contributes to the destructive nature of tornadoes as it can cause buildings to implode and objects to be lifted and thrown.


How do pressure differences explain the destructive effects of a tornado's winds?

Generally the lower the pressure inside a tornado (compared with its surroundings) the stronger and more destructive the winds are. For example, if the pressure surrounding two tornadoes is 960 millibars, a tornado with a central pressure of 860 millibars will be stronger than one with a pressure of 900 millibars.


What is tornado pressure?

The air pressure in a tornado is lower than that of its surrounding but the pressure difference varies with the strength of the tornado. The greater the pressure difference, the stronger the tornado. The greatest pressure drop recorded from a tornado was 100 millibars or about 10%.


What is tornado air pressure?

The air pressure in a tornado is lower than that of its surrounding but the pressure difference varies with the strength of the tornado. The greater the pressure difference, the stronger the tornado. The greatest pressure drop recorded from a tornado was 100 millibars or about 10%.