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What is a Tornado
A tornado, or twister, is defined by the NOAA as a violently rotating column of air that extends from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. They can be up to a mile wide and can stay on the ground for over 50 miles. The strongest tornadoes have wind speeds of over 250 miles per hour, with an average forward speed of 30 miles per hour, although it can reach 70 miles per hour.
How A Tornado Forms
Tornadoes occur during extreme thunderstorms called supercells. According to Windows to the Universe, these supercell thunderstorms form in an unstable atmosphere when cold, dry polar air meets warm, moist tropical air. As wind enters the storm it begins to swirl, forming a funnel. The air in the funnel spins faster and faster, creating an area of low pressure that sucks more air into it, and ultimately forms a tornado.
Threat From Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms can occur anywhere. The strong winds and lightening that occur during a thunderstorm can damage property and pose a threat to humans. Moreover, an indirect threat from thunderstorms is flash flooding, which can occur as a result of heavy rainfall, damaging infrastructure and causing loss of life. Thunderstorms, however, can be predicted with reasonable accuracy, allowing people to prepare and protect themselves accordingly. In addition, many of the effects of thunderstorms are relatively easily to defend against. For example, placing lightening rods on buildings prevents lightening striking unwanted areas.
Threat From Tornadoes
According to the American Red Cross, tornadoes are capable of destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees and hurling objects through the air like missiles. This makes tornadoes a much more potent threat than thunderstorms, which are comparatively easy to protect against. The speed and unpredictability of a tornadoes movement once it hits the ground, also adds to the difficulty of protecting against them. For example, in the U.S., tornadoes cause an average of 70 deaths and 1,500 injuries each year, according to the NOAA. Tornadoes can appear invisible when they first form, only gaining visibility as they suck up debris, unlike thunderstorms which are clearly visible. Moreover, tornadoes cannot be predicted with the same level of accuracy as thunderstorms, further increasing the risk they pose to people. Due to the fact that tornadoes occur as a result of severe thunderstorms, the threats associated with thunderstorms will also be a factor during a tornado event.