Tornadoes

Tornadoes Related Information:

One of the most awe-inspiring natural sights on earth, tornadoes are huge, powerful whirlwind storms that can cause vast amounts of destruction, with winds that can reach over 250mph. These storms can occur as a result of a thunderstorm or they can be created by cool air forcing the rapid elevation of warm air. The damage caused by tornadoes is due to the tremendous wind-force and up-current, as well as the debris caused by these winds. Most tornadoes occur between March and August between the hours of midday and midnight.

It is actually air that makes up the funnel cloud of the tornado, and the descent of a tornado causes the water vapour to turn to liquid droplets, making the funnel visible. Although the funnel starts off white, as it descends the up-current causes dirt, dust, materials and object to start floating and rotating, which then combines with the funnel and changes its colour to a brownish-grey. There is also a great deal of noise, which comes from the violent rotation of the tornado. The inside of the tornado is open with clear air, and winds here can reach around 200mph-300pmh.

Although tornadoes can and do occur all over the world, the United States sees its fair share of these awesome yet deadly acts of nature. There are ten states that suffer tornadoes more than others, and these are collectively known as ‘Tornado Alley’. The states in Tornado Alley are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

Each year, the United States alone sees around a thousand tornadoes, resulting in around 1500 injuries and approximately eighty deaths according tom statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There may only be a few minutes warning when a tornado, sometime referred to as a twister, is on its way, and it is important to use this time to seek shelter. Most states and cities will try and issue a ‘tornado watch’, which is basically notification that there may be the possibility of tornadoes. They will also issue tornado warnings, which are designed to let people within the area know that a tornado has been seen and is on its way.

There are a number of steps that you can take in the event of a tornado warning, which include:

  • Moving to a designated shelter, such as the basement, another room or under furniture. Go for somewhere in the middle of the house where you are as far away from the outside wall as possible. Also, make sure you are not near any windows.
  • If you are driving at the time of the tornado, you should get out of the car and seek shelter on the ground. Try and look for shelter below ground level such as a ditch.
  • If you are in a caravan or mobile home, you should leave and seek shelter in a building.

There are also a couple of things you can do to ensure that you know when a tornado is on its way. These include:

  • Listening to the radio or TV if a tornado watch has been issues, as you can then listen out for the warning.
  • Knowing the signs of a possible tornado in case there is no time for a warning. These signs include: dark, green-tinged sky, large hailstones, and a loud, roaring noise.