Tornado Facts

5/6/2016 (Permalink)

The following was copied directly from: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/weather/tornado.html

"Learn what tornadoes are, how fast they spin, how far they can travel, where most tornadoes occur, the difference between an F0 tornado and an F5 tornado, what a waterspout is and much more.Read on to check out our wide range of interesting information about twisters.

·         A tornado is a rapidly spinning tube of air that touches both the ground and a cloud above.

·         Tornadoes are sometimes called twisters.

·         Not all tornadoes are visible but their high wind speeds and rapid rotation often form a visible funnel of condensed water.

·         The Fujita Scale is a common way of measuring the strength of tornadoes. The scale ranges from F0 tornadoes that cause minimal damage through to F5 tornadoes which cause massive damage.

·         Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 100 miles per hour (161 kilometres per hour).

·         Extreme tornadoes can reach wind speeds of over 300 miles per hour (483 kilometres per hour).

·         Most tornadoes travel a few miles before exhausting themselves.

·         Extreme tornadoes can travel much further, sometimes over 100 miles (161kilometres).

·         The Tri-State Tornado that travelled through parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana in 1925 left a path of destruction over 219 miles (352 kilometres) long.

·         The Tri-State Tornado was the deadliest tornado in US history, killing 695 people.

·         The USA averages around 1200 tornadoes every year, more than any other country.

·         The majority of these tornadoes occur in a geographically unique area nicknamed ‘Tornado Alley’.

·         US States most often hit by tornadoes include Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida.

·         In 1989 the deadliest tornado ever recorded in the world killed around 1300 people in Bangladesh.

·         In the southern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a clockwise direction.

·         In the northern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

·         A tornado that occurs over water is often called a waterspout.

·         Weather radars are used to detect tornadoes and give advanced warning.

·         Basements and other underground areas are the safest places to seek refuge during a tornado. It is also a good idea to stay away from windows.”

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