TORNADOES 101

What Are Tornadoes?

• A tornadoes is described as a rotating column of air
• They form from Thunderstorms with extremely strong winds
• Tornadoes usually look like a rotating funnel touching the ground
• If the Tornado is powerful enough, it will destroy everything in its path

HOW ARE TORNADOES FORMED?

• Supercell form tornadoes which produce tornadoes
• Super cells can all from flash floods in occasion
• They can form anything from a extremely powerful tornado to a very calm one
• If the weather changes at all during a tornado it can affect the cyclone

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WITH TORNADOES

• Everyone should have a first aid kit by them just in case a tornado is spotted in their area
• Some people even have plans if the cyclone is around their house
• This is a great idea to always make sure everyone is prepared
• During a Tornado, you should usually go into a place with no windows
• This helps so that no debris comes flying in

HOW ARE TORNADOES DANGEROUS?

• If the tornado is strong it can pick up anything it comes across
• They can also carry items very far away from where they originally came from
• The main thing that is most dangerous is the flying debris
• The debris could be coming at you 80 M.P.H. or more!
• If someone was hit with some debris going that fast they would never be the same again

TYPES OF TORNADOES

• Waterspout- these tornadoes form over the water and cause damage to piers
• These are very weak tornadoes.
• Supercell Tornado- extremely powerful and will destroy anything in its path.
• Hail sometimes comes from these kinds of tornadoes as we'll
• Dust devils- not true tornadoes, but they are defined as them. Form when the sun heats dry land.

TRI-STATE TORNADO

• Longest and deadliest tornado ever
• The Tri-State tornado went through 3 states and lasted for 3.5 hours
• It killed about 700 people and destroyed over 15,000 homes
• This tornado is said to have been the most deadliest tornado in all of American history

WIND SPEEDS

• F0- Tornado- 40-72 M.P.H.with light damage
• F1- Tornado- 73-112 M.P.H. with moderate damage
• F2- Tornado- 113-157 M.P.H. with considerable damage
• F3- Tornado- 158-206 M.P.H. with severe damage
• F4- Tornado- 207-260 M.P.H. with drastic damage

SIGNS OF A TORNADO

• Clouds moving very quickly
• Loud roar or rumble sound that doesn't fade out
• Greenish-blackish colored sky
• Hail followed after a calm wind or a powerful wind

TORNADO SEASON

• Tornadoes can occur at anytime
• It depends on where you live in the U.S.
• North Carolina's tornado season is in Mar.-Jun.
• Northern States tornadoes occur in the late summer
• Southern States tornadoes occur in the late winter and early spring

TORNADO FACTS

• Tornadoes are most likely to happen between 3p.m. And 9p.m.
• Some tornadoes cannot be seen until it has picked up some debris
• Tornado Alley is where most Tornadoes occur.
• This is a stretch of land between Western Texas to Dakota

SOURCES

• http://tornado-facts.com/the-tornado-scale/
• http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
• http://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=2207
• http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/sponsor/10-ways-to-prepare-for-...
• http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/natural-disasters/42198...

SOURCES

• http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01352/tornadosigns.htm
• https://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-tornados
• http://www.mnn.com/family/protection-safety/stories/when-is-tornado-season