Tornadoes
 Although tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, these destructive
forces of nature are found most frequently in the United States east of
the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. In an average
year, 800 tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in 80 deaths and
over 1,500 injuries. A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column
of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes
are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of 250 mph or more.
Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Once
a tornado in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, carried a motel sign 30 miles and dropped
it in Arkansas!
What Causes Tornadoes?
Thunderstorms develop in warm, moist air in advance of eastward-moving
cold fronts. These thunderstorms often produce large hail, strong winds,
and tornadoes. Tornadoes in the winter and early spring are often associated
with strong, frontal systems that form in the Central States and move east.
Occasionally, large outbreaks of tornadoes occur with this type of weather
pattern. Several states may be affected by numerous severe thunderstorms
and tornadoes.
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Teach kids About the Weather
Here is what FEMAS advses you tellkids about tornados:
Tornadoes must always be taken seriously. Tornadoes can be very dangerous -- sometimes even deadly. They come from powerful thunderstorms and appear as rotating, funnel-shaped clouds. Tornado winds can reach 300 miles per hour. They cause damage when they touch down on the ground. They can damage an area one mile wide and 50 miles long. Every state is at some risk, but states in "Tornado Alley" have the highest risk. Tornadoes can form any time of the year, but the season runs from March to August. The ability to predict tornadoes is limited. Usually a community will have at least a few minutes warning. The most important thing to do is TAKE SHELTER when a tornado is nearby. More from FEMA
Web Weather for Kids
Weather Links for Teachers andkids
< ahref="http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/">NASA for Kids
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| During the spring in the Central Plains, thunderstorms
frequently develop along a "dryline," which separates very warm,
moist air to the east from hot, dry air to the west. Tornado-producing
thunderstorms may form as the dryline moves east during the afternoon hours.
Along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, in the Texas panhandle,
and in the southern High Plains, thunderstorms frequently form as air near
the ground flows "upslope" toward higher terrain. If other favorable
conditions exist, these thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.
Tornadoes occasionally accompany tropical storms and hurricanes that
move over land. Tornadoes are most common to the right and ahead of the
path of the storm center as it comes onshore.
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