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Tornadoes

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Tornadoes, Lightning in Rare Video. Animated guide: Tornadoes. Weather Wiz Kids weather information for kids. Tornadoes What is a tornado?

Weather Wiz Kids weather information for kids

A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of up to 300 mph. They can destroy large buildings, uproot trees and hurl vehicles hundreds of yards. They can also drive straw into trees. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide to 50 miles long. How do tornadoes form? What are some other factors for tornadoes to form?

What is a funnel cloud? How do tornadoes stop? What is a microburst? What is a waterspout? What is hail? What is the largest hailstone recorded in the United States? What is a gustnado? What is a landspout? Where are tornadoes most likely to occur? Know the Lingo TORNADO WATCH - Tornadoes are possible in your area. TORNADO WARNING - A tornado is either on the ground or has been detected by Doppler radar. Click Here to see if there are any active warnings in your area. Know the Facts Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity. Earth Facts and Information. How do tornadoes form? How do Tornadoes form?

How do tornadoes form?

This question is one that has not been a bit uncertain among people who study weather, but here is an explanation that many believe is the closest possible cause of tornadoes. Tornadoes are simply borne out of supercell storms (Supercell tornadoes are more powerful than those that do not come from supercells). A supercell storm is a thunderstorm characterized by powerful updrafts.

Example of non-supercell tornadoes are ‘gustnadoes’ and ‘landspouts’. Here is how they form: Take a look at this illustration and find the notes below. Step 1: Like all winds and storms, tornadoes begin when the sun heats up the surface of the land. Step 2: The faster moving air begins to spin and roll over the slower wind. Step 3: At this stage, it is an invisible, horizontal wind spinning and rolling like a cylinder. Step 4: With more warm air rising, the spinning air encounters more updraft. Step 6: The tornado is fully formed now and moving in the direction of the thunderstorm winds. What is a tornado? What is a Tornado?

What is a tornado?

Tornadoes are violent storms that strike as a powerful rotating mixture of wind and thunderstorm clouds, extending from the clouds to the ground in a funnel shape. They are know to be the most powerful and destructive atmospheric generated phenomena (wind systems), and are very common in the USA, particularly from the middle belt extending to the east coast. Every year, there is an average of 800 tornadoes that hit various parts of the USA. Even though many of them are very mild and could be seen as just strong winds, there has been a few tornadoes that have been very devastating and flattened many homes, schools and structures along its path.

Tornado incidents are distributed all year through, forming particularly in late spring (March), with the most incidents occurring in the summer (May and June), and reducing in numbers and strengths in the fall. Tornado features: Tornadoes occur usually during daytime, from mid-afternoon till about early evening.