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Tornadoes
A tornado or twister is a violent, rotating column of air which typically has a speed ranging from 177 km/h to over 480 km/h. This devastating windstorm is usually characterized by its funnel-shaped cloud that extends toward the ground.
8,901 Questions
What are three warning signs of a tornado?
Signs that a tornado may soon form include rotation in the clouds of a thunderstorm, a persistent lowering of the cloud base, and a clear slot opening up in the clouds in or near that rotation.
Do tornadoes have weaker winds than a hurricanes?
It depends on the specific tornado and hurricane.
In general, tornadoes have higher wind speeds than hurricanes. However tornadoes are much more concentrated and short-lived. They cover a much smaller area so the damage is confined to a very small area. Hurricanes cover hundreds of miles in a large swath which can take hours to pass. Also the leading edges of the hurricane spawns hundreds of tornadoes.
Tornado Enhanced Fujita Scale
EF-0.
Wind 65 to 85 mph.
EF-1.
Wind 86 to 110 mph.
EF-2.
Wind 111 to 135 mph.
EF-3.
Wind 136 to 165 mph.
EF-4.
Wind 166 to 200 mph.
EF-5.
Wind above 200 mph.
(Maximum winds)
Hurricane Saffir-Simpson scale
Category 1 74-95 mph
Category 2 96-110 mph
Category 3 111-130 mph
Category 4 131-155 mph
Category 5 156+ mph
(Maximum sustained winds, not gusts)
Do tornadoes cause deposition?
No, tornadoes do not cause deposition. Tornadoes are mainly associated with erosion, as they can pick up and carry loose particles and debris within their strong winds. Deposition usually occurs when the wind slows down and drops these materials.
What is the percent of the earth tornadoes happen in the us?
Official statistics say 75-80% of tornadoes occur in the U.S. This is very misleading, however, as most countries do not keep detailed records of their tornadoes. The vast majority of tornadoes outside the U.S. are never documented. So, the real percentage is not known.
Where is the best place to go during a tornado if one lives in a mobile home?
The best thing to do is to leave your mobile home for more suitable shelter. If possible, go to a nearby sturdy building or storm shelter. It is best to have a place planned out ahead of time.
In an emergency, even a concrete culvert in the open is safer than remaining in a mobile home. They will almost certainly be pulverized if caught up in the tornado.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warns people in mobile homes to leave them immediately if there is a threat of a tornado. Mobile home parks may be eligible for federal assistance in building communal storm shelters.
How are hurricanes tornadoes and thunderstorms different?
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground often made visible by a funnel cloud. In weather terms tornadoes are small, averaging 50 yards (45 meters) in diameter and rarely exceeding 1 mile (1.6 km) . Tornadoes produce very powerful, damaging winds that rotate around a low pressure center. The strongest of tornadoes produce winds that no other storm can match. Finally tornadoes are not self-sustaining but are completely dependent on a larger parent storm.
A thunderstorm is virtually any rainstorm that produces thunder and lightning. They are much larger than tornadoes, typically 5 to 20 miles (8 to 30 km) across. Unlike tornadoes most thunderstorms do not produce damaging winds and do not rotate. When damaging winds do occur they are usually straight-line winds. The thunderstorms that do rotate, called supercells, are the ones that usually produce tornadoes. Thunderstorms also produce rain and sometimes hail, which frequently accompany tornadoes but is not caused by them. Thunderstorms usually occur as part of a larger storm system, but not always.
A hurricane is a tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 74 mph (119 km/h). Hurricanes are enormous, averaging 300 miles (480 km wide). Like tornadoes, hurricanes produce violent winds that rotate around a low, pressure center, but on a much larger scale. Unlike a tornado or thunderstorm a hurricane is a tropical system by definition and can only form over warm ocean water. Hurricanes also produce torrential rain and a rise sin sea level called a storm surge. Finally, a hurricane is its own self-sustaining storm system that can even form thunderstorms and tornadoes in its outer rain bands.
Does a thunderstorm cause a tornado?
No. It is the other way around. However, only some tornadoes are formed by hurricanes.
Tornados are tiny funnels that spin far faster than hurricanes, but hurricane are hundreds of times larger. TORNADOS ARE NOT CYCLONES. don't get confused between the two.
There is nothing that is specifically called a tornado advisory, but there are two types of advisory that relate to tornadoes.
A tornado watch is issued if overall conditions in a region favor the formation of tornadoes. Meaning there is a risk, but not an imminent threat.
A tornado warning is more serious. This means that a tornado has been spotted or detected, or that observations of a thunderstorm indicate that one is likely to form soon.
Each of these advisories has a subcategory. A PDS tornado watch (particularly dangerous situation) indicates that a system is likely to produce strong tornadoes.
A tornado emergency is an unofficial variety of tornado waring that indicates a large tornado is threatening a populated area and has the potential to cause major damage.
What is the greatest state that the tornadoes happen?
The Midwest region, known as "Tornado Alley," experiences the highest concentration of tornadoes in the United States. States such as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska are commonly affected by tornadoes due to the unique weather patterns and geography that create ideal conditions for tornado formation.
Why do tornadoes always hit the same place?
Tornadoes do not always hit the same places. However tornadoes, especially the strong ones that are likely to become major new items are more common in certain regions due to climatic reasons.
The central and southern United States experience a convergence of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, dry air from the Rockies, cool air from Canada combined with wind shear and an inversion cap. This leads to powerful, rotating thunderstorms called supercells, which produce the majority of tornadoes. Similar conditions can occur elsewhere, but not as often. Reporting is also a factor. The United States is the only developed nation that experiences violent tornadoes on a regular basis. Other, less developed nations also have violent tornadoes, but do not conduct surveys or keep extensive records.
How fast can a tornado break a tree?
The speed at which a tornado can break a tree depends on the intensity of the tornado. Tornado winds can reach speeds of over 300 mph, easily snapping trees at their trunk or uprooting them. Strong tornadoes can cause extensive damage to trees within seconds.
How many yards is a tornado across?
It varies. The typical path width is around 50 yards. However one tornado was recorded with a path width of 1 yard. At the opposite end, very large tornadoes can be over 1 mile (1760 yards) wide. The largest path on record was 2.5 miles (about 4,440 yards) wide.
Can a blizzard produce a tornado?
Yes, it is possible for tornadoes to occur during a blizzard. These tornadoes are known as "snow tornadoes" and typically form in the same way as traditional tornadoes, but are less common and generally weaker in intensity.
What states have 38-125 tornadoes per year?
The states states fit this criterion based on tornado data averaged from the years 1991-2011 are:
Kansas (95 tornadoes per year)
Florida (65)
Oklahoma (64)
Nebraska (57)
Illinois (55)
Iowa (51)
Colorado (51)
Alabama (48)
Missouri (46)
Mississippi (46)
Minnesota (45)
Arkansas (41)
Louisiana (38)
Note that these are only averages. The number of tornadoes in a state in any given year can vary greatly.
How many states and us territories have an average of 21-37 tornadoes per year?
based on tornado data averaged from the years 1991-2011 are 9 such states. They are:
South Dakota (35 tornadoes per year)
North Dakota (34)
North Carolina (33)
Georgia (31)
Tennessee (29)
South Carolina (27)
Wisconsin (25)
Indiana (24)
Kentucky (22)
Note that these are only averages, and the number of tornadoes in a state from year to year can vary greatly.
What do you call a tornado that spins a other way?
A tornado that spins in the opposite direction is known as an anticyclonic tornado. These tornadoes are rare and rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
What are underwater tornadoes?
Underwater tornadoes, also known as whirlpools or maelstroms, are large rotating bodies of water that can be caused by strong currents or the interaction of different water temperatures and densities. They can be dangerous to ships and small boats by pulling them in and causing navigation problems. Unlike tornadoes in the air, underwater tornadoes do not extend all the way up to the surface.
What are some big tornado names for Nebraska?
Tornadoes do not get names. They are referred to by where they hit, but these are not actual names, and the same tornado may be referred to differently.
Some notable tornadoes that have struck Nebraska include:
- The Omaha tornado of March 23, 1913. This tornado killed 103 people, making it the deadliest tornado in Nebraska history (though a few deaths were in Iowa), and the 13th deadliest in the U.S.
- The Omaha tornado of May 6, 1975. This tornado killed 3 people and caused damage that, when adjusted for inflation, amounts to over $1 billion, making it the 6th costliest tornado in U.S. history.
- The Hallam tornado of May 22, 2004. This tornado hit the small towns of Wilber and Hallam, killing 1 person. At times the tornado was 2.5 miles wide, making it the largest tornado ever recorded.
Why is the US most affected by tornadoes?
The central plains of the United States form a region called Tornado Alley, which has an ideal climate setup for tornadoes. In the spring storm systems cause warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to collide with cool air from Canada and dry air from the Rockies, resulting in the formation of strong thunderstorms. About a mile off the ground a layer of stable air holds thunderstorm activity back, allowing instability to build underneath it. As a result when the storm break through the cap the instability will be enormous, leading to explosively powerful thunderstorms. At the same time wind speed and direction varies with altitude, which sets these storms rotating and also strengthens the updraft. This rotation combined with strong thunderstorm updrafts can then produce tornadoes.
Similar conditions can occur elsewhere, but not nearly as often.
What speed can winds in a tornado reach?
It varies, but can be as much as 300+ mph
The average wind speed of a tornado is 112 mph. But only the most extreme ones get to 300 mph
Tornado wind speeds are now measured by the Enhanced Fujita Scale (see link below). I haven't heard of a tornado being spotted in wind speeds less than 60 miles per hour (which is where the Fujita scale starts), and one unofficial wind speed was measured at about 300 miles per hour (see the other link below), but that was 100 feet above the ground.
Can you survive if you get sucked into a tornado?
If you are picked up by a tornado it is most likely that you will be thrown by it and most likely die on impact.
However, in a few cases people have survived being carried by tornadoes with only minor injuries.
The Great Plains region in North America formed around 25 million years ago during the Paleogene period. The landscape continued to evolve over millions of years due to various geological processes such as glaciation, erosion, and sedimentation.
Does a Tornado suck up objects?
Yes, a tornado can suck up objects due to the strong updrafts inside the funnel cloud. Debris and objects can be lifted into the rotating column and carried along with the swirling winds, causing damage and potentially danger to surrounding areas.
Can a tornado knock down a mausoleum?
Yes, a tornado can potentially knock down a mausoleum due to its extreme winds and destructive power. The strength and size of the tornado, as well as the construction materials and design of the mausoleum, will determine the extent of damage.
