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One of the strongest indicators that a thunderstorm might produce a tornado is rotation in the clouds.

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Does the presence of hail indicate that a tornado is imminent?

No, the presence of hail does not necessarily indicate that a tornado is imminent. While hail can be associated with severe thunderstorms that may produce tornadoes, it is not a definitive indicator of an imminent tornado.


What is a mass of spinning rising air that may produce a tornado?

I think the word you're looking for is "vortex".


Where does a tornado start?

A tornado typically starts when warm, moist air interacts with cool, dry air, causing instability in the atmosphere. This interaction can lead to the formation of a rotating updraft in a thunderstorm, which may then develop into a tornado under the right conditions.


Have there ever been violent tornadoes in a severe thunderstorm watch?

Yes, extremely violent tornadoes can occur within severe thunderstorm watches. Severe thunderstorm watches indicate conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms, which can produce tornadoes with little warning. It is important to stay informed and be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions during such watches.


How strong does a thunderstorm have to be to produce a tornado?

A thunderstorm has to be pretty strong in most cases, though strength alone isn't enough. A thunderstorm needs to have rotation to produce a tornado, though the strongest thunderstorms, called supercells, rotate anyway. A tornado warning is usually issued if doppler radar detects a difference between inbound and outbound winds of 100 mph or greater, though a warning may be issued in lseer conditions.

Related Questions

What does it mean when meteorologists issue a tornado warning?

When a tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or detected or if a thunderstorm may produce a tornado at any moment.


Does the presence of hail indicate that a tornado is imminent?

No, the presence of hail does not necessarily indicate that a tornado is imminent. While hail can be associated with severe thunderstorms that may produce tornadoes, it is not a definitive indicator of an imminent tornado.


What is a tornado and when may it form?

A tornado is a violently rotating columns of air in contact with the base of a thunderstorm and the ground. Tornadoes are usually produced by a type of strong thunderstorm called a supercell.


What is a mass of spinning rising air that may produce a tornado?

I think the word you're looking for is "vortex".


Are any tornadoes expected in Tulsa this week?

It is impossible to make such long term predictions about specific locations. A supercell thunderstorm will often produce a tornado within an hour of its rotation developing, and the tornado itself may form in under a minute.


What happens as a tornado moves?

A tornado moves with its parent thunderstorm. As the tornado moves air flows into it and accelerates to great speeds. Objects caught in the path may be damaged or destroyed.


Is a tornado tube a real tornado?

No. A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. The vortex in a tornado tube may rotate, but it meets none of the other criteria.


Can a rainbow appear in a funnel of a tornado?

Not exactly in the funnel of a tornado, but in somce cases a rainbow may appear next to, in front of, or behind a tornado. This often happens when a tornado is near the edge of a thunderstorm and is surrounded by rain. Since tornadoes most often occur in the late afternoon, the sun can easily be at a low enough angle to produce a rainbow.


What were all of the cities affected by the May 31 2013 tornado in Oklahoma?

There 20 tornadoes in Oklahoma on May 31, 2013. The main tornado of the event destroyed several homes and killed 8 people near the city of El Reno. The same thunderstorm later went on to produce four other tornadoes that affected Oklahoma City and its suburbs including Moore and Valley Brook. Another tornado from a different thunderstorm also affected Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa.


Where does a tornado start?

A tornado typically starts when warm, moist air interacts with cool, dry air, causing instability in the atmosphere. This interaction can lead to the formation of a rotating updraft in a thunderstorm, which may then develop into a tornado under the right conditions.


What caused the biggest tornado?

The largest tornado on record (the Hallam, Nebraska tornado of May 22, 2004) was produced by a supercell thunderstorm that most likely was associated with a cold front or dry line.


Why isn't it raining or storming during a tornado warning?

There are three possibilities. First is the tornadic thunderstorm may not have reached you yet, as tornado warnings are sometimes elongated along the storm's projected path. Second, you may be under a low precipitation supercell, which is a potentially tornadic storm that produces little or no rain. Third, you may be under the updraft part of the thunderstorm, which is often rain free and sometimes relatively calm. This is also the part of the storm where a tornado is most likely to form.