Tornado

Tornado

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. The wind speeds of tornadoes can reach up to 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), and they can cause significant damage to structures and vegetation in their path.

Formation

Tornadoes form in association with severe thunderstorms, particularly those known as supercells. A supercell is a thunderstorm with a deep, persistently rotating updraft called a mesocyclone. The process of tornado formation is complex and involves the interaction of various atmospheric conditions, including wind shear, instability, and moisture.

Mesocyclone

A mesocyclone is a region of rotation within a thunderstorm. It is typically 2 to 10 kilometers in diameter and is associated with the development of severe weather, including tornadoes. The rotation of the mesocyclone is often visible as a wall cloud, which is a lowering of the cloud base.

Tornadogenesis

The process of tornado formation, or tornadogenesis, involves the intensification of the mesocyclone and the development of a funnel cloud. As the funnel cloud descends, it may reach the ground and become a tornado. The exact mechanisms of tornadogenesis are still a subject of research.

Classification

Tornadoes are classified based on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which estimates wind speeds based on the damage caused. The scale ranges from EF0, with minor damage, to EF5, with incredible damage.

Tornado Alley

Tornado Alley is a colloquial term for a region of the United States where tornadoes are most frequent. This area includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The region's unique geography and climate contribute to the high frequency of tornadoes.

Safety and Preparedness

To protect against tornadoes, it is important to have a safety plan in place. This includes identifying a safe location, such as a basement or interior room, and having an emergency kit ready. Tornado warnings and watches are issued by meteorological agencies to alert the public of potential tornado threats.

Related Pages

• Supercell
• Enhanced Fujita scale
• Tornado Alley
• Severe weather

Gallery

• 

  F5 tornado in Elie, Manitoba, 2007

• 

  Tornado near Anadarko, Oklahoma, 1999

• 

  Tornado in Waurika, Oklahoma

• 

  Diagram of tornado infrasound sources

• 

  Time-lapse of a tornado

• Formation of a wall cloud from a mesocyclone

• 

  Stovepipe tornado near Yuma, Colorado

• 

  Tornado roping out in Eastern Colorado

• 

  Trombe

• 

  Dust devil

• 

  Aerial view of tornado damage in Moore, Oklahoma, 2013

• 

  Global distribution of tornadoes

• 

  Map of Tornado Alley

• 

  Annual tornado count in the US

• 

  Historical tornado illustration, 1857

• Radar graphic of a tornado near Naperville and Woodridge

• 

  Wall cloud

• 

  Tornadoes in Pilger, Nebraska

• 

  Damage from the Birmingham tornado, 2005

• Tornado with Doppler on Wheels

• 

  Rope tornado near Yuma, Colorado

• 

  Tornado near Punkin Center, Colorado

• 

  EF0 tornado over the North Sea

• 

  Tornado roping out near Merino, Colorado

• 

  Andover tornado, April 29, 2022

• 

  Radar of a classic supercell

• 

  NEXRAD radar of an EF2 tornado in Kansas

• 

  Doppler on Wheels radar image