TORNADOS AND HURRICANES

TORNADO

• a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground.
• In an average year, 1000 tornadoes are reported nationwide.
• Most tornadoes form from thunderstorms.
• You need warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cool, dry air from Canada.
• When these two air masses meet, they create instability in the atmosphere.

TORNADO (CONTINUED )

• Immediate Dangers -- The immediate threat from tornadoes is danger to life and property from violently whirling winds and debris hurled through the air by the winds.
• Wind speeds in tornadoes can exceed 250 mph.
• Long-Term Dangers -- Long-term risks include the possibility of building collapse, fallen trees and power lines, broken gas lines, broken sewer and water mains, and the outbreak of fires.
• Agricultural crops and industries may be damaged or destroyed.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A TORNADO

• 1. Prepare your family
• 2.Prepare your house
• 3. Know what to watch for
• 4.Stay informed
• 5.Listen for tornado watches and warnings

PREPARE FOR TORNADO CONTINUED

• 6.Find Shelter
• 7.Wait it out
• 8.Deal with injuries first
• 9.Shut off utilities
• 10. Inspect the damage

HURRICANE

• A hurricane is a huge storm!
• It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph.
• Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean.
• Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters.
• Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80°F or warmer.

HURRICANE(CONTINUED)

• Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80°F or warmer.
• The atmosphere (the air) must cool off very quickly the higher you go.
• Also, the wind must be blowing in the same direction and at the same speed to force air upward from the ocean surface.
• Winds flow outward above the storm allowing the air below to rise.
• The Coriolis Force is needed to create the spin in the hurricane and it becomes too weak near the equator, so hurricanes can never form there.

HURRICANE(CONTINUED)

• Hurricanes not only pack high winds, but can also cause torrential rains that lead to flash flooding and abnormally high waves and storm surge. Known as "the triple threat," each of these alone can pose a serious threat to life and property.

STEPS TO BE PREPARED FOR HURRICANES

• Keep in mind that hurricane are slow travelers.
• Be sure to gather food and water
• Prepare your fridge amd freezer
• Be sure you are well supplied with any medication drugs that you and your family eat,
• Put all your valuables into clear plastic bags or high floor

HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR A HURRICANE(CONTINUED )

• 6. Stay on top of the news
• 7. Decide whether or not you will evacuate

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TORNADO AND HURRICANES

• Hurricanes and tornadoes are both stormy atmospheric systems that have the potential to cause destruction.
• They are caused by instability in atmospheric conditions.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TORNADOS AND HURRICANES

• Tornados form on land and hurricanes forms in the ocean.
• Hurricane can be up to several hundred miles while tornados are no more than 1/4 a mile.
• Hurricanes can last for 3 weeks and tornadoes last for no more than an hour.
• The wind in a hurricane is usually less than 180 mph but a tornadoes' wind can reach 300 mph.
• The warning for a tornado is a couple of days but a tornado warning is 15-30 minutes before.

WORK CITED

• http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-tornado.htm
• http://m.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Tornado
• http://www.tnema.org/public/tornado.html
• http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm
• http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/pages/pr3.php

WORK CITED(CONTINUED)

• http://m.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Hurricane
• http://www.diffen.com/difference/Hurricane_vs_Tornado
• http://www.hurricanescience.org/society/impacts/tornadoes/