Tornadoes

By Jordon and Hans

What is a Tornado?

• A tornado is a violent whirlwind that destroys many objects in its path. It looks like a giant funnel cloud extending from a storm cloud.

• Sometimes tornadoes can throw cars hundreds of meters.

• Tornadoes can have wind speeds up to around 300 MPH.

How a Tornado Forms.

• Most tornadoes come from thunderstorms.• When you’re in North America you need

warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cold, dry air from Canada. When these two air masses meet, they get instable in the atmosphere. Changes in the wind direction and an increase in the speed of wind creates an invisible horizontal swirling effect.

Where

Tornadoes mostly happen in the middle states. Where it is mostly flat.

When Tornadoes Happen

• Tornadoes can happen at any time of the day and any time of the year.

• In the Northern States tornado peak times are in the summer.

• In the Southern States tornado peak times are in March to May.

• Tornadoes can happen between 3 P.M. to 9 P.M.

Safety Tips• Before a tornado make sure that your family

knows where to go just in case a tornado forms. Prepare a disaster supply kit for your car and home.

Safety Tip Part 2

• During a tornado go to a basement. If you don’t have a basement go to the interior room with no windows. Get under a sturdy piece of furniture if you can.

Safety Tip Part 3

• If you live in a home that is mobile get out and lie down in a ditch. Mobile homes don’t give enough protection.

Video Link

• http://www.accuweather.com/video-on-demand.asp?video=1704062594

• Go to this link to find more about tornadoes.

The Fujita Scale

• SCALE WIND

SPEED POSSIBLE DAMAGE

Enhanced, Operationa

l Fujita Scale

F0 40-72 mph Light damage: Branches broken off trees; minor roof damage

EFO65-85 mph

F1 73-112 mph

Moderate damage: Trees snapped; mobile home pushed

off foundations; roofs damaged

EF186-110

mph

F2 113-157 mph

Considerable damage: Mobile homes demolished; trees

uprooted; strong built homes unroofed

EF2111-135

mph

F3 158-206 mph

Severe damage: Trains overturned; cars lifted off the

ground; strong built homes have outside walls blown away

EF3136-165

mph

F4 207-260 mph

Devastating damage: Houses leveled leaving piles of debris; cars thrown 300 yards or more

in the air

EF4166-200

mph

F5 261-318 mph

Incredible damage: Strongly built homes completely blown

away; automobile-sized missiles generated

EF5over 200

mph

This scale measures wind speed and how big the tornado is and how much damage it does.

Q1

• What does the Fujita Scale do?

A1

• It measures wind speed and how big it is and how much damage it does.

Q2

• Where do tornadoes form mainly?

A2• They form mainly in Tornado Alley where it’s

flat.

Q3

• What months do tornadoes mostly form in the southern states?

A3

• They mostly form from March to May.

Reflections

• This is Jordon and Hans. We would like to learn more about how tornadoes look in action. ( Do you know why? Because We haven’t seen one in real life.)