Tornadoes

It depends on the tornado. If it is a single vortex tornado the winds near at the edge of the core will be the fastest. However, many of the strongest tornadoes are multivortex, meaning that they have smaller vorticies (almost like mini tornadoes) inside the main vortex.

In a multivortex tornado the fastest winds are within these subvortices.

Tornadoes are natural phenomena that cannot be prevented or stopped. The best way to stay safe is to be prepared by monitoring weather conditions, having a plan in place for shelter, and following the guidance of local authorities during severe weather warnings.

There is no real term for the tip of a tornado. A small area of intense suction in a tornado may be referred to as a suction spot.

The stronger a tornado the more energy it takes and most storms do not have the energy to produce a tornado stronger than F1 or are not organized enough to focus that energy into a tornado. Additionally, tornado ratings are based on damage and some tornadoes stay in open fields, causing no damage. Such tornadoes are rated F0.

The estimated wind speed for each category on the Fujita (F) scale is listed below along with the more accurate wind speed range of its Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale equivalent*.

F0: 40-72 mph (EF0 65-85 mph)

F1: 73-112 mph (EF1 86-110 mph)

F2: 113-157 mph (EF2 111-135 mph)

F3: 158-206 mph (EF3 136-165 mph)

F4: 207-260 mph (EF4 166-200 mph)

F5: 261-318 mph (EF5 over 200 mph)

*the actual determining factor for a rating is damage, which is used to estimate wind speed. In recent years it was found that the wind speed estimates for the damage levels on the original F scale were wrong, ans so were update on the EF scale in 2007.

Common terms describing tornado shape:

Rope: a narrow funnel extending from a cloud base, typically winding and bending. Often indicates a weak or dissipating tornado.

Elephant trunk: a somewhat thicker variation of an elephant trunk, still inidcating a fairly small tornado.

Stovepipe: a vertical column- shaped funnel, often very large.

Cone: a large cone of funnel shape significantly wider at cloud base than at ground level.

Hourglass: a massive cloud of dust obscures the funnel.

Wedge: An extremly large tornado that appears wider than it is tall.

These terms are somewhat arbitrary and there is a bit of overlap. What one person calls a wedge another person might call a large stovepipe. Additionally, a tornado will often change shape and size during its time on the ground. Below are links to video examples.

Yes. A tornado that travels a kilometer would not be uncommon. Such a path length would be typical of a weak tornado. The more destructive tornadoes that get national or international coverage typically travel much further, sometimes dozens of kilometers and can be well over a kilometer wide, in rare cases several kilometers wide.

Tornadoes do not have humidity percentages since they are a weather phenomenon characterized by rotating columns of air. However, tornadoes can form in humid conditions when warm, moist air interacts with cool, dry air to create the necessary conditions for tornado formation.

There can be, but it is not a requirement for one. Search google for tornado lightning and look through the images to see.

Yes. Very strong tornadoes can in fact have winds well over 300 km/h. In one tornado winds to over 480 km/h were recorded. On the Enhanced Fujita scale a tornado with winds estimated at 300 km/h would be rated EF4, the second highest level on the scale. An EF5 tornado, the highest level, has winds over 322 km/h. However, most tornadoes are not this strong and only earn ratings of EF0 or EF1 with winds ranging from 105 to 177 km/h.

Trees can be largely torn apart by an F2 tornado but most buildings will remain standing. An F2 tornado will remove the roof from a typical frame house but leave most walls standing. Weak structures such as mobile homes, barns, and garages will likely be destroyed.

No, the majority of tornadoes in the US are not classified as F5. F5 tornadoes are extremely rare and account for only a small percentage of all tornadoes. Most tornadoes in the US are classified as weaker tornadoes, such as F0 to F2.

The wind rotation of a tornado is typically faster in the center, which is known as the eye of the tornado. The wind speed decreases as you move away from the center towards the outer edges of the tornado.

Cold fronts are most often associated with the formation of tornadoes. As a cold front moves in, it can lift warm, moist air rapidly, creating the unstable conditions necessary for tornado development. The contrast in temperature and moisture along a cold front can promote the formation of supercell thunderstorms, which are more likely to produce tornadoes.

Yes, when the updraft in something is very strong, air can rush in from all sides to fill the void left by the rising air. This phenomenon is common in thunderstorms and can contribute to the formation of severe weather such as tornadoes.

No. We cannot make actual tornadoes. It is possible to create vortices that resemble tornadoes superficially, however, by placing a fan at the top of a chamber and turning it on so that it sucks air up. Dry ice or a smoke machine can then be used to make the vortex visible.

Tornadoes are caused by the rotation of supercell thunderstorms within a specific atmospheric environment. The combination of wind shear, instability, moisture, and a triggering mechanism such as a cold front or dryline sets the conditions for tornado formation. The rotation within the storm can intensify into a tornado when it reaches the ground.

Tornadoes primarily destroy property through their extremely fast winds. In a strong tornado there winds are strong enough to tear many structures apart or push them over, and sometimes even lift them up. Objects picked up by the winds then become high speed projectiles that can damage what they hit. Weak tornadoes can also destroy structures by bringing trees down on them.

To be classified as a tornado, a funnel cloud must make contact with the ground. Once the funnel cloud touches the ground, it becomes a tornado and is classified based on its size, intensity, and associated damage.

Yes. Even a very weak tornado produces winds over 60 mph (95 km/h). The most violent tornadoes can produce winds over 200 mph (320 km/h), with one tornado having winds measured at just over 300 mph (480 km/h).

An individual tornado cannot change the direction that it rotates, however in rare cases a tornado may rotate in the opposite direction from what is norm (nearly all tornadoes rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, and clockwise in the southern).

Tornadoes and thunderstorms are not considered examples of conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between two materials. Tornadoes and thunderstorms are caused by dynamic atmospheric processes involving convection, which is the transfer of heat through the movement of air or water.

The main condition is lift, particularly along a cold front (cold air pushing into warm air) or dry line (dry air pushing into moist air). As the front advances it forces the less dense warm and/or dry air upward. If it reaches something called the level of free convection (LFC) it will rise on its own and form thunderstorms. These storms also produce some wind shear, with lower level winds coming out of the west and upper level winds coming out of the south (north if in the southern hemisphere). If the wind shear is strong enough it can turn the storms into supercells, powerful, rotating thunderstorms. It is from the rotation in these storms that tornadoes can develop.

Tornadoes are violent rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. They form when warm, moist air near the ground interacts with cool, dry air in the upper atmosphere, creating a rotating updraft. Tornadoes are classified based on their intensity using the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

It depends on the strength of the tornado. Weak tornadoes (EF0 an EF1) can lift soil and very light objects.

Strong tornadoes (EF2 and EF3) can lift people, roofs from houses, road vehicles, and occasionally trees.

Violent tornadoes (EF4 and EF5) can lift buildings.

Some very large or very strong structures may not be moved. The reactor of a nuclear power plant can withstand much more than a tornado, and large building complexes cannot be moved either, though large sections may be destroyed.