Hobbies And Interests
What Is a Tornado?
A tornado is a violently rotating and twisting column of air that extends out of a thunderstorm to the ground. It is when the twister touches the ground that damage can be caused if there is anything in the path of the tornado. Until dust and debris are picked up by the tornado, they might appear translucent as they are made up of wind. Tornadoes also develop when hurricanes and tropical storms make landfall.
How Does a Twister Form?
A tornado forms from the twisting of rising air in a thunderstorm and the twisting occurs from air in the lower troposphere spinning from wind shear. As the wind is forced upward, it spins, and with the proper balance, forms a tornado. Much like a top, the air must spin fast enough and in a correct motion for the tornado to form, which is why not all thunderstorms create tornadoes.
Tornado Movement
Most twisters move from southwest to northeast, but have been known to move in any direction. The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 miles per hour, but some have been tracked traveling more than 70 miles per hour, while others remain basically stationary. Because most thunderstorms occur in the afternoon and evening, most tornadoes occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. and are most often seen east of the Rocky Mountains between March and May.
Hurricanes and Tornadoes
Tornadoes often accompany hurricanes as they make landfall, and are often attributed with causing the most damage during a hurricane. Tornadoes most often occur in the right-front quadrant of the hurricane or tropical storm, but have occurred in other sections of the storm as well. Hurricane tornadoes are not usually accompanied by hail or lightening like other types of tornadoes are, which makes them less likely to be detected during a hurricane.
Tornado Watches and Warnings
When a tornado watch is issued, it means that conditions are favorable for the formation of a tornado and that people should be prepared if a thunderstorm develops in their area. A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or that weather radar has indicated the formation of a tornado, and people should seek immediate shelter. Tornadoes can cause significant damage and can develop with very little warning, so a tornado watch must be taken seriously.