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Tornadoes

Tornadoes. Basic Description. An extremely severe thunderstorm Size: Small funnel cloud Several feet to a mile wide. Where/When they occur. Where: Tornado Alley In the Great Plains of the US When: Spring and Early Summer Late afternoon when the ground is warm

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Tornadoes

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  1. Tornadoes

  2. Basic Description • An extremely severe thunderstorm • Size: • Small funnel cloud • Several feet to a mile wide

  3. Where/When they occur • Where: • Tornado Alley • In the Great Plains of the US • When: • Spring and Early Summer • Late afternoon when the ground is warm • # per year: 800 in the US

  4. How they are formed • Formation • Develop in cumulonimbus clouds (Thunderstorm clouds) • Warm humid air mass meets a cold dry air mass causing Thunderstorms • Only strong Thunderstorms cause tornadoes • Life Span • About 10 minutes

  5. Speed • Travels at a speed of: 40 mph • Wind speed: up to 300 mph

  6. Damage • Damage • Strong winds • Flying debris • Rain, Hail • Fujita Scale – categorized by damage, mph is only estimates based on damage • F0- < 73 mph; branches broken off trees; shallow-rooted trees pushed over; sign boards damaged. • F1- 73-112 mph; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos blown off roads. • F2-113-157 mph; Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated; cars lifted off ground. • F3-158-206 mph ; Roofs torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted • F4- 207-260 mph ; Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown away some distance; cars thrown • F5- 260-318 mph; Strong frame houses leveled off foundations and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100

  7. Predicting • Warnings/Watch • Watch: Tornadoes are possible • Warning: A tornado has been spotted • Predicted by: • Radar detects rotation of clouds • Tornadoes develop quickly, so very hard to predict • Symbol on a map

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