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Doppler radar can, but with some limits. Doppler radar can detect rotation of a tornado, as well as the larger rotation that may produce one, but it cannot tell if the rotation reaches the ground. Additionally, radar may fail to detect weak tornadoes and tornadoes that are very far away.
What else can I help you with?
What happens after surface winds slow down in a tornado due to ground friction?
When surface winds slow down in a tornado due to ground friction, the tornado may weaken or dissipate altogether. This is because a tornado's strength is dependent on the fast rotation of air at the surface, so when this rotation slows down, the tornado's intensity is reduced.
Why does the mass of whirling air in a tornado move downward?
Generally, it doesn't. Air generally moves up in a tornado. When the funnel of a tornado descends, the air is not moving down. The funnel itself is due to the pressure drop inside a tornado. This cools the air that is drawn into it, causing moisture in it to condense into a cloud. As the tornado forms and intensifies, the pressure and core temperature drop, allowing condensation to occur at a lower altitude. In some tornadoes, however, air does move down in the center of a tornado. This occurs when a tornado is spinning so rapidly that air spiraling in from the sides cannot reach the center. Instead, air is drawn downward through the center.
How does a tornado slow down?
A tornado can slow down due to a decrease in the wind speed of the surrounding air, friction with the Earth's surface, and changes in the atmospheric conditions that originally fueled its formation. These factors can weaken the tornado's circulation and cause it to dissipate or lose intensity.
Does the current of a tornado go up or down?
The current of a tornado typically flows in an upward direction, carrying debris and causing damages like roof uplift and structural collapse.
What is a radar laser detector used for?
A radar laser is a detector used for monitoring the speed. The laser detector is usually used by the police and law enforcement, to track drivers who drives over the speed limit. The use of the tool can help prevent or reduce the chances of vehicle accidents from happening.
What is the special type of radar used to predict when a tornado might touch down?
Doppler radar is used to track potentially tornadic storms.
How effective is science at detecting tornadoes?
Fairly effective. In many cases the signature of a tornado can be detected on radar before it even touches down. However, such radar cannot detect ground level winds and thus cannot tell if a tornado is on the ground or not. Visual confirmation is needed for that.
What is a special type of radar meteoroligists could use to predict when a tornado might touch down?
Doppler radar is a special type of radar used by meteorologists to detect the rotation within thunderstorms that may produce tornadoes. This radar can track the wind movement within a storm and provide early warning signs of possible tornado formation.
What radar can predict when a tornado might touch down?
Doppler radar can be used to make such predictions.
Can you predict if a Tornado is coming?
To a limited degree. It is possible to detedct a tornado and its immediate precursors with Doppler radar, but this cannot tell when the tornado will touch down, how long it will last, or if it will change course. Beyond this, weather conditions can tell if a given areas is at risk from tornadoes on a given day, but cannot tell where indivitdual tornadoes will strike.
What instrument do you use to check if there is a tornado?
Doppler Radar can detect the signature of a tornado's rotation in a storm, but we usually need an eyewitness report to confirm that the tornado has actually touched down. Dual polarized Doppler radar can detect debris from a tornado, but that requires that the tornado is fairly strong and that there is enough debris for the tornado to pick up.
Can you predict whether a tornado is forming or is going to hit if so how?
Only to a limited degree. Doppler radar can detect a mesocyclone, which is a rotating updraft in a thunderstorm that can produce a tornado. Radar can also detect the much smaller signature of a possible tornado, though this can be difficult, especially for weak and short lived tornadoes. Even if radar detects such a signature, it cannot tell if it is on the ground of if it will touch down, but it is enough to prompt a tornado warning. By detecting where a mesocyclone or possible tornado is and knowing the direction of the storm, it is possible to see what areas might be in damager. Even with this technology some tornadoes strike without warning, and there are many false alarms.
How many trucks of equipment does it take to track down a tornado?
A single smart person on a motorcycle with a cell phone link to another smart person at a computer connected to the internet could track a tornado. About 99% of the other stuff is just sensationalism and a means to produce some kind of "documentary" that can be sold to television. Those who are really serious about tracking down a tornado have a truck with a Doppler radar unit on it. Everyone else is just a "pretender" who in interested in film production rather than meteorology. In this light, one truck would be enough. A second truck could Cary "chasers" and the larger unit with the radar could stay out of harm's way. In that case, two trucks would do it. The use of a vehicle hauling a Doppler radar unit separates the "real players" from the "wannabes" out there - and there are a lot of the latter.
How do weather forcasters know a tornado is coming?
There are two primary ways. First is Doppler radar, which measures winds moving toward and away from the radar to detect features in a storm that can produce a tornado, and sometimes the signature of the tornado itself. Then, by simply looking at where the storm is going they can warn places in the potential path. However, radar cannot determine if a tornado has actually touched down, and can occasionally miss a tornado. For this reason there are storm spotters. These are people who report severe weather such as tornadoes to authorities. Through such reports meteorologists (weather scientists) can gain a better idea of the potential threat.
Can a radar be used to track down a storm?
Yes, radar can be used to track down a storm. Weather radars are designed to detect precipitation in the atmosphere, including rain, snow, and hail. By measuring the intensity, movement, and shape of the precipitation, meteorologists can track the storm's location, direction, and strength in real-time.
What did meteorologists use to figure out that the Joplin tornado was coming?
The main tool they uses was Doppler Radar. With that radar the meteorologists were able to detect rotation in the approaching thunderstorm and knew that it had the potential to produce a tornado 17 minutes before the tornado itself even formed. This was rather fortunate, as the tornado itself touched down only two minutes before it entered Joplin.
Can you predicate when a tornado will happen?
Only to a very limited degree. Scientists can determine when conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop (in which case a tornado watch is issued), or even if a tornado may be developing (which would prompt a tornado warning), but cannot predict exactly where or when a tornado will touch down.
