Tornadoes

WATERSPOUT

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• What: A whirling column of air and water mist
• Typically not deadly but can cause damage
• Most damage occurs if the waterspout hits land
• Forms due to instability caused by the difference of air and water temperature

LAND SPOUT

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• What: a tornado which has formed clouds that does not rotate
• Not associated with supercell thunderstorms
• Typically short-lived and weak

GUSTNADOES

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• What: a non-supercell tornado
• Swirl of dust and debris on leading edge of thunderstorm outflow
• Difficult to identify visually
• Most are weak, but can reach EF1 intensity

WEDGE TORNADO

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• What: a tornado that is at least as wide as it is tall
• Potentially very damaging due to large size and area covered
• Classified as a tornado with more than one vortex
• One of the deadliest types of supercell tornadoes

SUPERCELL TORNADOES

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• What: storms that contain updrafts which rotate about a vertical axis
• Associated with damaging wind, large hail and tornadoes
• Supercell tornadoes are the most violent and cause the most damage