Tornadoes

People injured in tornadoes are usually hit by flying or falling debris, which is also responsible for the majority of deaths in tornadoes. In less common cases people may be in vehicles that get rolled or tossed by tornadoes or may themselves by picked up and thrown.

The hero starts off happy and ends up sad!

The Waco, Texas tornado affected people in a number of ways. 114 people were killed by the tornado, meaning that many lost friends and family. In addition, 597 people were injured. Hundreds saw their homes and businesses destroyed and more suffered lesser degrees of property damage. Of the survivors many undoubtedly suffered psychological effects, as being in a building as it is struck by a tornado can be a truly terrifying experience.

Tornado Alley typically gets about 800 tornadoes in a year.

Yes. Tornadoes often lift objects into the air and can carry them long distances.

Typical waterspouts form by a different mechanism from tornadoes. Most tornadoes are produced by the mesocyclone of a supercell, the most powerful type of thunderstorm on earth. By contrast most waterspouts form during non-severe thunderstorms, and can even form from large cumulus clouds. So the reason they are not as strong is simply because they don't have a very strong power source compared with tornadoes.

However, sometimes a tornado produced by a supercell either forms on or moves out over water. In such a case it is called a tornadic waterspout.

New Jersey has had tornadoes as strong as F3, and if it happened before it probably will happen again. An F3 tornado can cause very serious damage.

The Joplin, Missouri tornado of May 22, 2011 injured an estimated 1,150 people and killed 158.

If a tornado warning is issued and you live in a trailer leave it for more suitable shelter, preferably one with access to a basement or cellar.

In 2011 there were 552 tornado fatalities in the United States, tying it as the second deadliest tornado year in U.S. history.

Yes. The Joplin, Missouri tornado of May 22, 2011 was rated EF5, the highest level on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Based on statistics from the years 1950-2010 Texas has the most tornado fatalities averaging about 9 per year. However, this varies from year to year depending mostly on the distribution of strong tornadoes . For example, in 2010 Texas had no tornado fatalities, and instead Mississippi took first place with 13 deaths. By contrast in 1953 Texas had 150 tornado deaths.

Generally speaking you want to put as much between you and the tornado as possible and there is little better protection than the ground itself. Also, when you get into a lower position you reduce your chance of being struck by debris, which is what causes most injuries and deaths in tornadoes. Additionally if there is a partial collapse of the building you're in, usually the upper portions are the first to fail.

Yes. Tornadoes have been recorded on islands in a number of cases. Sometimes they are waterspouts that make landfall.

funnel clouds.

Other signs that a tornado may soon occur include a lowering of the cloud base and rotation in the clouds during a thunderstorm.

Tornadoes typically result in damage to vegetation and property, and often people and animals being killed or injured.

Often, but not always, tornadoes form when three different airs masses collide. The first, and probably most important, is a warm, moist air mass from the Gulf of Mexico. Next comes a cool air mass from northern Canada, and finally a dry air mass from the Rockies. When the collision occurs the warm, moist air mass essentially becomes fuel for very strong thunderstorms. Given a few other factors these storms can produce tornadoes.

The Greensburg tornado cost about $250 million.

The overshooting top is not part of a tornado but of the storm that spawns it. In a strong thunderstorm air rises rapidly until it reaches a stable layer where it cannot rise any more. and spreads out, forming an anvil. The fastest moving air, however, is carried some distance into the stable layer by its momentum before sinking back down, forming a bulge on the cloud called an overshooting top.

Tornadoes are often called twisters. Some people will also call them cyclones, but this is not quite correct as a cyclone is a different type of weather pattern.

Northern Alaska has the fewest tornadoes, likely none at all. Only 4 tornadoes have ever been recorded in the state's history, and all were in the southern part.

Nowhere. The deadliest tornado in U.S. history had a death toll of 695. That tornado tore across parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.