1 Tornado Nicknames Twisters Funnel cloud Waterspout 2
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Tornado Nicknames ÝTwisters ÝFunnel cloud ÝWaterspout 2
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a cumulonimbus cloud/thunderstorm to the ground 3
ëChange in wind direction ëIncrease in wind speed ëIncreasing height ëRising air within a thunderstorm 4
Tornadoes Form in Severe Thunderstorms A tornado can become visible when water droplets appear below the cloud in the center of the rotating column. Formation of a tornado 1. Warm, humid air masses move north from the Gulf of Mexico to the central plains of the United States. 2. Warm air masses often meet cold, dense air and form thunderstorms. 3. In the Spring, winds in the region often produce the conditions that form tornadoes. 5
Tornado Formation 1. Warm, humid air masses move north from the Gulf of Mexico to the central plains of the United States. 2. Warm air masses often meet cold, dense air and form thunderstorms. 3. In the Spring, winds in the region often produce the conditions that form tornadoes. 6
Tornado damage is measured by the Fujita Scale. 7
Category Damage Wind F 0 light 40– 72 mph F 1 moderate 73– 112 mph F 2 significant 113– 157 mph F 3 severe 158– 206 mph F 4 devastating 207– 260 mph F 5 incredible 261– 318 mph 8
Where do most tornadoes hit in the United States? In the United States, the area where the tornadoes hit the most is called Tornado Alley The states which are in the tornado alley are: Danger! ýTexas ýNebraska ýColorado ýIowa ýIllinois ýIndiana ýMissouri ýArkansas Tornadoes! More tornadoes occur in North America than anywhere else 9 in the world.
• A typical path of a tornado along the ground may be 300 ft wide and 1 mile long. • About 1 percent of all tornadoes are violent enough to lift or completely demolish sturdy buildings. • A tornado moves along with its thunderstorm. It travels at the same pace and weaves a path that is impossible to predict. 10
Tornado Watch: A tornado watch is issued when conditions or the weather is right for a tornado to occur Tornado Warning: A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been seen 11
Where is the safest place to go during a tornado? 12
