Tornadoes

The most powerful in terms of sheer destructive force is generally considered to be a large volcanic eruption, as it can have widespread and long-lasting impacts on the environment. Earthquakes and hurricanes can also be extremely powerful and devastating, depending on their magnitude and intensity. Plagues and sandstorms are serious threats as well, but their impacts are typically more localized.

Below are the different levels of tornado intensity on the Ehanced Fujita scale along with typical damage with typical damage and the estimated range of wind speeds.

EF0 65-85 mph, light damage: minor roof damage to most buildings, awnings and gutters taken down, tree limbs broken, weak rooted trees toppled.

EF1 86-110 mph, moderate damage: roofs of houses severely stripped, windows broken, trailers severely damaged or largely destroyed.

EF2 111-135 mph, significant damage: frame houses lose all or most of roofs some exterior walls may collapse, trailers completely destroyed.

EF3 136-165 mph, severe damage: many or most walls in a frame house collapse, most trees uprooted.

EF4 166-200 mph, devastating damage: strong frame houses completely leveled, trees stripped of bark.

EF5 over 200 mph, incredible damage: strong frame houses completely swept away, foundations left bare, concrete structures heavily damaged.

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A dark funnel of strong winds that spiral upward is a tornado. Tornadoes are characterized by rotating columns of air that extend from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground, causing damage and posing a significant threat to human safety.

A dog may exhibit signs of anxiety or fear such as pacing, whining, or trying to hide. Some dogs may become agitated and restless, while others may seek out a safe place to hide. It's important to keep pets indoors during severe weather and provide a safe, quiet space for them to seek shelter.

Unfortunately detailed records of tornadoes only go back as far as 1950, and even then, for the first 30 years or so of that period most weak tornadoes (which account account for the majority of tornadoes) were missed. Since 1950 Montana has recorded 386 tornadoes.

However, it may be possible to provide a rough estimate. In the past 30 years, in which data has been recorded more accurately, Montana has experienced 265 tornadoes. If we take the percentage of strong tornadoes from this period (6.8%) and apply it to the data since 1950 we arrive at an estimate of about 700 tornadoes, assuming the percentage of strong tornadoes stays about the same. If the same average annual number of tornadoes occurred over the past 100 years that gives us an estimate of about 1,100 tornadoes.

This may sound like a lot, but it works out to an average of only 11 tornadoes per year, most of which are weak, across a very large area.

Note that this is a very rough estimate and is based on the assumption that frequency patterns over that past 30 years and 62 years are the same as those over a 100 year period.

It varies depending on the tornado. Stronger tornadoes inflict more severe damage. Even a relatively weak tornado will snap tree limbs and the occasional trunk. Some trees may be uprooted. A strong tornado will snap or uproot most of the trees in its path. Some trees may be entirely lifted into the air. In a violent (EF4 or EF5) tornado the few trees that remain in place are stripped of their bark and left with only stubs of the largest branches.

Its called the enhanced fujita scale...it measures from an EF0 to an EF5 how fast the tornado was spinning.

The wind speed is determined by examining damage.

Per KSTP report read online: "State officials reported 39 tornado touchdowns. If that figure is confirmed, it would exceed the previous state record of 27 sightings in one day, in 1992."

Yes, at least for the vast majority of tornadoes. Both rotate cyclonically, that is, counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern.

However, a small number of tornadoes (less than 1%) rotate the opposite direction from normal. These are called anticyclonic tornadoes.

On average, around 10 tornadoes occur in Montana each year. These tornadoes typically tend to be weaker in intensity compared to those seen in other parts of the United States. Montana's tornado season usually runs from June to August.

It has most likely been a matter of chance. Where tornadoes occur is essentially random with respect to where we build our cities and towns. Since it is random, then by simple probability some areas will be hit an inordinate number of times while others will almost never be hit.

The plural of tornado is tornadoes.

Staying low to the ground during a thunderstorm reduces the risk of being struck by lightning. Lightning tends to strike higher objects, so getting low decreases the chances of getting hit. Avoid open fields, isolated trees, and bodies of water to further minimize the risk.

Yes, isolated thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Tornadoes can develop within a single thunderstorm or a cluster of thunderstorms. It is important to stay informed of weather alerts and warnings when isolated thunderstorms are present.

If by last night you mean April 4, 2011 then yes.

There were at least 5 tornadoes confirmed in 3 states.

In Kentucky there were 2 EF1 tornadoes and an EF2.

In Tennessee there was also an EF1 tornado.

In Ohio there was an EF0 tornado.

Tornadoes are very powerful because they have very low pressure at their centers. The large pressure drop over a short distance produces very fast winds.

A tornado originates from a larger but less intense circulation called a mesocyclone which is embedded in a strong thunderstorm called a supercell. Other forces within the storm focus the lower portion of the mesocyclone into a smaller area, increasing both the pressure drop and the winds speed, so that instead of a 5 millibar pressure drop occurring over a distance of 2-6 miles a 50 millibar or greater pressure drop occurs over a distance usually less than 1/4 mile.

Mammatus clouds form when sinking pockets of cold, dense air create pouch-like structures underneath the base of a larger cloud. These pockets are formed by the downward motion of air and moisture that condense into visible cloud droplets. Mammatus clouds are often seen following intense thunderstorms and can be a sign of turbulent weather.

That is a difficult question to answer. It is true that the lowest pressure recorded in a tornado (688 millibars) was much lower than the record low pressure for a tropical cyclone (870).

But very few measurements have been taken from inside a tornado, so it is unknown what pressures would be normal.

The collision of warm and cold air is not the direct cause of a tornado, nor is it absolutely necessary.

When a cold air mass pushes into a warm air mass (this is called a cold front) the warmer, less dense air is forced upwards. As the air rises it cools and the moisture in it condenses to form clouds, rain, and thunderstorms.

If other factors such as strong wind shear (a change in the wind speed and direction with altitude) are present these storms may begin to rotate. This rotation can then develop into tornadoes.

The last notable tornado in Arkansas occurred on March 28, 2021, primarily affecting areas in Desha County and near the town of Dumas, with winds reaching up to 140 mph. Arkansas typically experiences tornadoes during the spring months, with peak activity in March, April, and May.

That would be hail. Hail forms when updrafts in a cumulonimbus cloud carry raindrops into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, causing them to freeze into layered lumps or balls of ice.

Tornadoes can occur at any time of year, but are most common in the spring and early summer. The peak tornado season in the southern states of the US is in the spring, while in the northern states it is typically in the summer.

Tornado Alley typically stretches from central Texas to North Dakota. It covers parts of the central United States, including states like Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota, where tornadoes are more frequent due to the clash of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cool, dry air from the Rockies.