Tornadoes

It is a combination of factors.

Warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico frequently moves over the region from the south. This collides with cool air from Canada and dry air from the Rockies. This collisions of air mass is often triggers thunderstorms, often very strong ones. The region also frequently gets strong wind shear. This can tilt storms, causing them to further intensify, and can also start them rotating. Tornadoes develop from this rotation.

Another factor is a layer of very stable air that forms about a mile off the ground, called a cap. This cap holds back thunderstorm development, causing instability to build up underneath it. If a developing storm is strong enough it can break through the cap, and if it does it will develop rapidly and become very intense.

They don't only occur in the U.S. Tornadoes have been recorded on every continent except Antarctica and some of the deadliest tornadoes have occurred in Asia. However, the U.S. does have the highest number of tornadoes of any other country. This is due mostly to the climate setup, which has a near perfect setup for combining colliding air masses, instability, and strong wind shear to create strong, rotating thunderstorms called supercells. These storms produce the vast majority of tornadoes. Additionally, the U.S. keeps detailed records of its tornadoes, something most countries don't do.

90% of hurricane deaths are drownings.

The most dangerous feature of a hurricane is the storm surge. This is a bulge on the surface at the ocean that can cause heavy coastal flooding.

Hurricanes also produce torrential rain that can lead to landslides and more flooding.

Hurricanes also produce very strong winds that can knock down trees and damage or destroy buildings.

Finally, severe thunderstorms can form in the outer bands of a hurricane, wome of which can produce tornadoes.

Tornadoes can occur in the warm sector of a developing mid-latitude cyclone, typically associated with the cold front. Tornadoes often form along the leading edge of the cold front where warm, moist air is lifted rapidly by the advancing cold air.

Meteorologists classify tornadoes based on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which ranges from EF0 to EF5, with each category corresponding to a range of wind speeds and damage potential. The EF scale takes into account the observed damage caused by a tornado to determine its classification.

Not necessarily. Tornadoes typically form in the rear portion of a supercell thunderstorm, while hail is often found further forward. So in many cases and area will get hail before the tornado moves through. But that that does not mean the tornado has not formed yet.

Tornadoes and hurricanes have different scale for rating intensity. Tornadoes are rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which uses the damage a tornado does to provide an estimate of the tornado's peak wind speed. A tornado is usually rated a day or two after it occurs. The levels on the scale, with wind and typical damage, are as follows:

EF0: 65-85 mph. Some roof tiles and siding peeled away. Tree limbs broken. Weak rooted trees toppled.

EF1: 86-110 mph. Roofs of houses severely damaged. Windows broken. Trailer homes overturned or partially destroyed.

EF2: 111-135 mph. Roofs torn from well-built houses. Trailer homes completely demolished. Large trees snapped.

EF3: 136-165 mph. Roofs and walls torn from well built houses, but some interior walls remain standing. Large vehicles lifted up and thrown.

EF4: 166-200 mph. Well-built houses completely leveled. Trees stripped of bark. Asphalt scoured from some roads.

EF5: over 200 mph. Well built houses completely blown away, leaving bare foundations. High-rise buildings suffer severe structural damage.

Hurricanes are rated on the Saffir-Simpson scale based on their sustained wind speed. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes are rated as they progress and are upgraded and downgraded as they strengthen and weaken with he final rating based on the storm's peak strength. The categories are as follows.

Category 1: 74-95 mph

Category 2: 96-110 mph

Category 3: 111-130 mph

Category 4: 131-155 mph

Category 5: over 155 mph

On both scales the winds of an individual storm are usually rounded to the nearest 5 mph.

The eye of a tornado is typically calm and quiet, with clear skies and little to no wind. This area contrasts with the violent winds and destruction found in the surrounding tornado wall. The size of the eye can vary but is generally small compared to the overall size of the tornado.

No, tornadoes are not calm. They are violent, rotating columns of air that can cause significant destruction and are characterized by strong winds and intense atmospheric instability.

The Fujita scale, now known as the Enhanced Fujita scale, is important because it classifies tornado intensity based on wind speeds and damage caused. This helps meteorologists and emergency responders assess the severity of a tornado and its potential impact on communities. It also allows for better understanding of tornado behavior and patterns for research and forecasting purposes.

A tornado is often preceded by severe thunderstorms, characterized by dark clouds, heavy rain, strong winds, and hail. Tornadoes can form when warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air, creating conditions for the development of rotating thunderstorms known as supercells.

Tornadoes typically last for a few minutes to a few hours, with the average duration being around 10 minutes. However, some tornadoes have been known to stay on the ground for over an hour, and in extreme cases, they can last for several hours.

Generally not. Maximum tornado winds are likely around 300 mph while many rockets are supersonic.

Tornadoes typically form in the rear half of a supercell. So tornadoes are often preceded by cloudiness rain, thunder, lightning, and sometimes hail.

The clouds in a tornadic storm sometimes appear black or greenish.

Gustnadoes are brief, generally weak tornadoes that typically form along the gust front of a thunderstorm or in the outflow boundary of a storm. They are not connected to the primary rotating updraft of a supercell thunderstorm, unlike traditional tornadoes, and are often seen as horizontal vortices along the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow winds.

Scientists and meteorologists use weather radars to detect tornadoes by looking for rotating air masses within a thunderstorm. Storm spotters on the ground also play a crucial role in spotting tornadoes and reporting their location to weather authorities. Additionally, satellite imagery and weather balloons can provide valuable information for locating tornadoes.

It depends on the scale and location of the tornado or earthquake. Generally, earthquakes can cause more widespread destruction and loss of life due to their ability to affect large areas and trigger secondary hazards like tsunamis. However, tornadoes can be more intense in localized areas, causing significant damage in a short amount of time.

The principle of conservation of angular momentum causes a spinning column of air to turn to a vertical position. As the air rises, its size decreases due to conservation of angular momentum, causing the column to rotate and eventually orient vertically. This process is known as vortex stretching.

Tornadoes are violent rotating columns of air that extend from thunderstorms to the ground. They can cause significant damage to buildings and landscapes through their strong winds and flying debris. It is important to take shelter and listen to weather alerts when a tornado is approaching to stay safe.

There is no real evidence that the number of cyclones or tornadoes is increasing outside of normal fluctuation. The apparent number has increased as advanced technology has made us better able to detect and identify storms, and fast communications means we hear about more events sooner.

Most tornado warnings are usually based on data from Doppler radar, which can indicate a strong mesocyclone or even the signature of a tornado itself, and on reports from spotters, who may report if a tornado is forming or already on the ground.

Tornadoes can be more dangerous at night because they are harder to see in the dark, making it more difficult for people to take shelter in time. Additionally, nighttime tornadoes may catch people off guard while they are sleeping, leading to a greater risk of injuries and fatalities.

Weather patters that most often form tornadoes include wind shear combined with at least one of the following:

Extratropical low pressure systems.

Cold fronts (cold air plowing into warm air)

Dry lines (dry air plowing into moist air)

Tropical cyclones (hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions).

The center of a tornado is called the "eye" or "eyewall." It is a relatively calm area with lower wind speeds compared to the strong winds in the surrounding tornado.