Tornados (also known as “twisters”) are dangerous and destructive storms. They begin as funnel clouds with high winds, and once they touch down on the ground, they are called tornados. They cause heavy rain, thunder, lightning, flash flooding, and hail. Wind speeds can reach 318MPH causing damage to everything in its path.
The powerful winds that rotate in a funnel-shaped cloud that has a devastating impact and produces the most damage.
Tornadoes come from supercells, a supercell is a severe thunderstorm that has winds with a rotating updraft which creates an unstable atmosphere.
Supercells are mostly seen in the central part of the United States. On average, about one in five or six supercells storms can cause a tornado.
Tornadoes can happen at any time of year.
In southern states, tornado season starts in March through May. In northern states, tornado season peaks during the summer
Tornadoes begin to form when warm air and humid air collide with cold, dry air.
We see them more often along a part of the country known as “Tornado Alley.”
Tornado Alley Covers:
Generally, we see most tornadoes between 3 PM and 9 PM. As we move through the day, warm air changes place with cooler air, and this helps feed the tornado.
Of course, this all depends on many factors, and we do see tornadoes happening at all different times of the day.
Most people that have heard a tornado say that it sounds like a train or an airplane.
They are very loud, and the sound is so powerful that it can hurt the ears of people who hear it.
Yes they are very dangerous because tornado winds can reach speeds of up to 480km per hour
Twisters are frequently accompanied by severe thunderstorms and wind gusts. Hail is also common.
Since the wind speeds are so strong, they can cause a power outage, damaged houses, businesses can be destroyed and they can damage all the areas they cover.
The distance they travel varies with most lasting 10 mins. But, within this time, they can cover five to ten kilometers distance. In some extreme cases, they can last for hours and travel a distance of 150K.
Tornados move very quickly so when they cause damage it can happen over a large span of area.
Towns and cities that have regular tornado outbreaks will have a warning system in place. The National Weather Service will also monitor severe thunderstorms and offer advice on any tornado formation.
Tornado season is from March through June. But, tornadoes outbreaks have been seen every month of the year, depending on the weather conditions.
You may have seen Storm chasers on TV. Most of these are scientists who spend part of their year monitoring the phenomena. They use weather radar to find and track tornadoes.
They issue tornado warnings to advise people to get to safety.
They detect and record them. They track tornado damage because this helps them understand how powerful it was.
Weather forecasting people use something called the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EFS) the help us understand how powerful a tornado was.
They are on the F scale of 0 to 5 based on how much damage they’ve caused:
If there is a tornado, you need to take cover and find shelter quickly.
If you are outside – Stay away tornados are fast; you won’t outrun it. Get to the nearest building, crouch down low protecting your head. Find a room without windows, if possible.
If you are inside – find a room without windows and crouch down low, protecting your head. Some buildings in tornado areas might already have a “safe room.”
After the storm – check id there is a disaster kit this will have first-aid supplies and things like whistles, flashlights, rain gear. You still need to be aware of your safety power lines could be down and building unstable.
Tornadoes are dangerous storms nature can throw at us, a storm chaser is a person who chases storms for several reasons.
They will track tornado outbreaks for the National Weather Service (NWS) who are run by the National Oceanic& Atmospheric Administration or NOAA for short
They can issue warnings on tornadoes in the United States on Weather radio, TV News, etc.
Storm chasers can be scientists who study meteorology, and using things like Doppler radar can track a storm system and watch for severe weather outbreaks.
These are important people that can escalate the deadliest storms to Emergency management specialist