Tornadoes

Most tornadoes originate for a vortex called a mesocyclone, a rotating updraft found in some thunderstorms, particularly supercells. A downdraft from the rear portion of the thunderstorm wrap around the mesocyclone, causing it to tighten and stretch toward the ground. In the process it intensifies. When this tighter circulation reaches the ground it becomes a tornado. At this point air can no longer flow into it from below, causing the pressure inside to drop, causing the winds in the newly formed tornado to intensify.

No. A tornado is a very intense kind of whirlwind but most whirlwinds are not tornadoes. By definition a tornado is associated with a thunderstorm and connects to both the ground and the cloud base.

It varies from year to year, but the average works out to 56.

The most destructive tornadoes are generally in the U.S. on the Great Plains and in the Deep South.

The most common effect that tornadoes have on people is property damage. This can be a financial and emotional burden. Most deaths and injuries are caused by flying debris. People can be hit by broken glass, wooden boars, splinters, and a variety of other objects carried by the winds. Others may be crushed under falling objects or collapsing buildings. In rarer case people may be picked up and carried by a tornado. In a violent tornado, the dust in the air can cause abrasive injuries.

As of April 16, 2013 Florida has already had 2 weak tornadoes. Tornadoes occur in Florida every year, and if the past is any indicator, we could expect a few dozen more.

No. In fact quite a few are not. The more destructive one usually get all the attention. But for every tornado that causes major damage there are dozens that do not. Hundreds of tornadoes touch down and cause minor to moderate damage such as breaking tree limbs, toppling trees, and putting holes in roofs. Some tornadoes stay in open fields and cause no damage at all.

In a weak tornado windows may break, creating the hazard of broken glass. Trees can fall into houses. In a stronger tornado the roof may be torn off, exposing the inside of the house and possibly causing walls to collapse. Weaker houses may collapse or shift off their foundations. A violent tornado can level most homes and in some cases completely blow them away. As intensity increases, the potential for flying debris does as well.

One tool is mobile Doppler radar, which uses microwave beans to study deatures within a thunderstorm or tornado. In a few cases scientists have managed to deploy probes inside of tornadoes to take measurements. This has met with limited success, though, as such attempts are difficult and dangerous.

Some scientists have simulated tornadoes in supercomputers to try to model the dynamis of a tornado.

Tornadoes are most common in temperate or subtropical climates.

The Joplin tornado dissipated at 6:12 PM on May 22, 2011 after having been on the ground for 38 minutes.

The tornadoes of April 2011 were devastating. In the U.S. thousands of people lost their home and many more suffered some degree of property damage. These tornadoes killed 363 people and injured more than 3,500.

It varies. Most F2 tornadoes do not kill, and those that do generally do not kill more than 1 or 2 people. Death tolls of 10 or higher have occurred but are extremely rare. Since 1880 only 9 or 10 F2 tornadoes have resulted in 10 or more fatalities. The deadliest of these hit Charleston, South Carolina on September 29, 1938, killing 27. It was the only such tornado to kill more than 20 people. Most were killed in the collapse of what were probably very poorly built homes. Only one possible F2 tornado since 1950 has 10 or more people. That tornado is officially listed as an F1 but was assessed by a leading tornado expert as an F2, crossed Pomona Lake in Kansas on June 17, 1978, capsizing a boat and drowning 16.

The tornadoes of April 27, 2011 were truly devastating. In terms of direct physical impacts, these tornadoes killed 319 people and injured over 3,000. Many thousands more lost their homes or their businesses and still more suffered a lesser degree of property loss. In some areas large portions of entire communites such as Smithville, Mississippi and Hackleburg, Alabama were destroyed. In the aftermath many people came together to aid in cleanup and reconstruction.

In the long term tornadoes are predicted by looking at factors such as temperature and wind speed and direction at different levels of the atmosphere and by monitoring any storm systems that might come through the area. In the short term tornadoes are predicted by scanning thunderstorms with doppler radar and looking for signs of strong rotation.
Scientists study tornadoes primarily with doppler radar as well, which can pick up information on the winds inside the funnel it you can get close enough. A few have deployed probes inside of tornadoes to take measurements.

It is classified as a tornado when the circulation, which originates within a thunderstorm, is confirmed to have made contact with the ground. Usually this is confirmed through damage done by the tornado, but video or eyewitness testimony from a trained spotter can be used as well for tornadoes that cause little to no damage.

In some cases it can take extensive analysis to determine if any event was a tornado or strong thunderstorm winds, and tor determine if it was one or multiple tornadoes.

Yes. In fact radar is the primary tool used in detecting tornadoes.

Leave the home and go to a nearby sturdy shelter, preferably one with a basement or cellar.

You should have this place picked out in advance so you can move quickly when the time comes.

There do not appear to be any records of tornadoes hitting Greensboro. In any given year most towns will not be hit by a tornado.

Since a tornado is columnar in nature its center is best defined as the tornado's axis of rotation, which also corresponds with the lowest pressure. The actual height of the midpoint varies with how high up the tornado extends, with stronger tornadoes usually extending further up into the parent storm.

As of my last knowledge update in October 2023, Nathaniel Fujita was sentenced to prison for his involvement in a high-profile criminal case. However, specific details about his current prison location may not be publicly available or might change over time. For the latest and most accurate information, it's advisable to consult official sources or news outlets.

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes are classified based on their intensity using the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale), which takes into account the damage caused by the tornado. The most destructive tornadoes can reach wind speeds exceeding 200 mph.

Weather radar is an valuable tool in detecting tornadoes for many reasons. Tornadoes usually begin when two conflicting air masses collide, which radars detect as high and low fronts. Additionally, these weather systems may be detecting by radar based on their vortices and wind movement.

It can be. However, some people have been sucked up by tornadoes and tossed just fine somewhere else. I hope you enjoy flying!

No. While tornadoes can cause fire through ruptured gas lines and sparking wires, they themselves are not flammable.