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In What Types of Environments Do Tornadoes Form?

Tornadoes are one of nature's most fascinating phenomena. However, there are a few misconceptions about when and where tornadoes form. Tornadoes, when understood from a scientific perspective, are both predictable and surprising thus embodying the true paradoxical nature of the storm. Arming yourself with as much information as possible can help keep you safe in the event of a tornado in your area.
  1. Location

    • Most of the world's tornadoes happen in the United States; however, theoretically tornadoes can form anywhere and in any country. If conditions are favorable, a tornado can form on any of the seven continents but due to the specific geographic location of North America, the US does have geographic areas conducive to producing tornadoes. The area east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. is the most prone to tornadoes with the propensity of the storms occurring in what is referred to as "Tornado Alley," which comprises of the central part of the U.S. from Southern Texas, spanning east to west from the western edge of Colorado all the way over to Ohio and Tennessee.

    Seasons

    • Tornadoes are more common during the spring and summer months due to warm temperatures and a greater amount of humidity in the atmosphere. Some tornadoes have been known to form in late winter in some parts of the mid-western United States. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) most tornadoes occur from mid-May to late July throughout the area known as Tornado Alley

    Temperature

    • Tornadoes develop when warm moving air collides with an easterly cold front.. This collision creates a violent or severe thunderstorm which in turn can produce a supercell in which winds begin to rotate within the thunderstorm. This supercell, fueled by the warm and cold air currents colliding, can create a mesocyclone which in turn can produce a tornado. The size of the tornado depends on just how favorable air conditions are to keep fueling the tornadic formation; however NOAA states that the exact reasons for tornadoes are still largely unclear.

    Pressure

    • Barometric pressure can be a huge indicator of the likelihood of a tornado forming in a particular environment. As barometric pressure drops (which can happen days before a predicted tornado might occur) the chances of a tornado forming will grow with the lowest pressure happening when the tornado forms. This drop in barometric pressure is one way meteorologists can help to predict tornadic activity.

    Strange Places

    • Some tornadoes form in areas other than the typical area of tornadic activity in the United States. Tornadoes that form over water sources are referred to as water, and those that form in desert climates are referred to as dirt devils. These types of tornadoes form under much the same conditions as the more typical tornado. Tornadoes that form in these areas are usually short-lived because climate conditions aren't conducive to extended rotation.


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