TORNADOES

CAUSE

• Tornadoes form in violent thunderstorms. There is instability and shear wind
• Present in the lower atmosphere. The warm and cold air meet. Finally the rising
• Warm wind becomes strong enough to force itself up through the cold layer
• When this occurs, the cold air on top begins to sink, sending the rising warm
• Wind spinning upward.

CATEGORIES

• Ef-0 wind speed 65-85
• Ef-1 wind speed 86-110
• Ef-2 wind speed 111-135
• Ef-3 wind speed 136-165
• Ef-4 wind speed 166-200 and Ef-5 windspeed over 200

TORNADO ALLEY

• Tornado alley runs from the upper part of Texas up into Oklahoma,
• Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

• Tornadoes affect the environment by destroying lots of buildings
• and trees. They also kill animals, which effects the food chain and
• Disrupts the whole environment. Tornadoes destroy farms, which means
• There would be food shortages in the surrounding area. After everything
• Is destroyed, humans have to rebuild.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

• Tornadoes also cause water contamination, which poses a serious
• Problem, as plants, animals and humans are effected by this.
• Fires may also occur after a tornado due to damaged power lines and gas
• Leaks. Fire contributes to global warming by giving off carbon dioxide into
• The atmosphere.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

• Debris and other objects that are caused from the
• Tornado also destroys the plants and can kill many animals as well.

MOST DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO

• One of the most powerful and recent tornadoes was in Joplin, Missouri.
• It occurred on May 22, 2011. The tornado was an Ef-5 and was over
• A mile wide. It killed 160 people and caused $2.8 billion in damage.

ONE LOCAL TORNADO

• One local tornado was in Granbury, Texas.
• It occurred on May 16, 2013. At least 6 people were killed and 100 injured.
• It went through central Texas that night along with other tornadoes in that area
• As well.

SEASON

• Tornado season in the United States tends to move northward
• From late winter to mid summer. It is because of the major climate
• Change that occurs in the season transition.

FUNNEL CLOUD

• A funnel cloud is a vortex of condensated water vapor and air
• Spinning At high velocity. They can form under cumulus clouds if there is
• Enough humidity and Vorticity in the air.

WALL CLOUDS

• Wall clouds are clouds that lower from a rain free base.
• Wall clouds can range from a fraction of a mile up to nearly five miles
• In diameter. They are normally found on the south or southwest side of
• The thunderstorm. Rotating wall clouds usually develop before strong
• Or violent tornadoes.