The Definition

A Tornado is a massive column of air which is made bigger from a thunderstorm this then gets pulled to the ground to form something like the picture below.

The violent tornadoes can make winds up to 250mph and maybe even more and with these high winds the damage path can be a range of 1 mile to 50 miles wide apart. A typical tornado usually goes from south-east to north-east but usually they tend to go in any direction. Although some tornadoes reach up to 250mph and beyond a small tornado will do about 30mph but at stationary this could even rise to about 70mph

How They Are Formed

There are three most crucial things which a tornado needs to start and they are:

• Moist, unstable air at the surface
• Cold air going upwards
• A change in wind direction and/or speed with height

What Happens

Before the actual thunderstorms which the tornado appears in there is a change in wind direction along with a dramatic change in the actual wind speed with also a increase in heat all this being put together then makes an invisible flat spinning affect in the lower atmosphere. Rising air within the thunderstorm tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical. There is an area of rotation which is 2-6 miles wide, now extends through much of the storm. This rotating column of air, known as a funnel comes from the cloud and grows downward until it reaches the ground. Once the funnel touches the ground it then becomes a tornado. As the centre of the funnel has a low pressure area, air rushes into the column and rises. The air is cooled as it rises and water vapour condenses to form the familiar funnel shaped cloud. As the rotating winds begin to then pick up dirt and debris that are lying on the ground, the funnel will then darken. The strongest tornadoes occur in massive thunderstorms which can also produce large hail and strong downbursts.

How We Classify Tornado

We classify tornadoes in a very simple way and this is by measuring the wind speed and damage this is according to the FUJITA DAMAGE SCALE and this is it:

Where tornadoes occur

Although tornadoes can appear about anywhere in the world they most usually happen in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains in the spring and summer months this is called the tornado season. In an average year there is around 800 reported tornados happening in that nation all these add up to around 80 deaths and up to 1500 injuries. Even though a tornado can happen anywhere in the United States at any time of the year there are certain places which actually favour a tornado and these are:

In the southern states peak tornado season is March through May when warm, moist air mixes with the cooler air masses that lengthens into the south, In the northern states the peak tornado season is in the summer, when the warm, moist air reaches out to the north.

People who are in danger of tornadoes

People in automobiles, the elderly and the young also the mentally impaired, people who live in mobile homes and people who don’t speak the same language therefore not knowing the risks.

How we can tell if a tornado Is about to happen

In addition to keeping a listen of the latest watches and warnings issued by the NWS there are certain environmental clues that we get information from:

A Dark often greenish sky, a wall of cloud, large hail stones, a loud roar-similar to a freight train.

So that’s all about tornadoes, so be safe!