The formation of tornadoes is complicated.
First, a condition called wind shear, in which the speed or direction of the wind changes with altitude. If the shear is strong enough it can essentially tilt a thunderstorm, this separates the updraft and downdraft of the thunderstorm, preventing them from interfering with one another. This allows the storm to become stronger and last longer.
Additionally, if the wind shear is strong enough it can start the air rolling in what is called horizontal vorticity. This horizontal vorticity can then be turned vertical by a thunderstorm's updraft. When this happens, the thunderstorm may start rotating. The rotation is especially strong in an updraft called a mesocyclone. If the storm intensifies rapidly enough, a relatively warm downdraft called a rear-flank downdraft or RFD can wrap around the bottom part of the mesocyclone. This can then tighten and intensify its rotation and bring it down to the ground to produce a tornado.
No. A tornado is essentially just made out of air with dust, debris, and condensation mixed in.
In total, 53 tornadoes formed in six states as a result of Katrina: 18 in Georgia, 10 in Mississippi, 10 in Alabama, and 5 each in Florida, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Tornadoes and thunderstorms have always been frequent in the U.S. However, advances in technology such as Doppler radar and cell phones have made it easier to detect and report such events.
A little more than 1% of tornadoes are rated F4 and F5 with F5 tornadoes being less than 0.1%
Hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes can all cause damage to vegetation and man made structure through their winds. Hurricanes and thunderstorms both produce rain, which can sometimes lead to flooding. It should be noted that hurricanes produce thunderstorms and thunderstorms, including those found in hurricanes, are what produce tornadoes.
No. Tornadoes occur naturally.
Tornadoes are made of air necause they are a weather phenomenon and occur within Earth's atmosphere, which is made of air.
There are multivortex tornadoes that at times can look like they are made up of two or more tornadoes
No. Tornadoes are made from interactions of wind currents and pressure differences within a thunderstorm. Electricity plays no role.
Tornado-like whirlwinds made of fire are called firewhirls. Meteorologists do not consider them to be true tornadoes.
Tornadoes can cause catastrophic damage to vegetation and man-made structures.
Tornadoes do not produce gasses. They are made of air and do not change its composition.
There are no tornadoes that are made of water, but tornadoes do touch down on water fairly often. Tornadoes on water are called waterspouts.
Tornadoes are storms, and thus naturally occurring.
Tornadoes can damage or destroy vegetation an man made structures and can kill or injure people and animals.
Yes. Tornadoes are often made visble by condensation in their funnels and by dust and debris. However, some tornadoes may be obsured from view by rain or the dark of night.
Tornadoes are just rapidly moving columns of air. The reason that they are black is because that is the color of the dirt that they pick up.