Tornados
Tornados are incredibly destructive storms of wind that occur over land. Tornados have a very distiglishable look; they are a long, funnel-shaped cloud reaching toward the ground and made visible to the human eye by condensation and debris. Tornados often originate from harsh thunderstorms when warm, moist air and cool, dry air combine and once this happens an instability in the atmosphere is created. Tornadoes are incredibly fast occuring and may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
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Watersprout
- In an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries.
- Tornadoes cannot occur over water. If a tornado does occur over water it is called a waterspout.
- A waterspout is a weak tornado that occurs overwater, however if this waterspout moves inward it becomes a tornado that can go on to cause great damage.
- Tornados can occur in many differnt sizes and they are mainly classified into 3 differnt groups:
Weak Tornadoes- 69% of all tornados are classified as a weak tornados. THey cause less than 5% of deaths caused by tornados, the lifetime of a weak tornado would be 1-10 minutes. To be classified as a weak tornado the winds caused but the tornado would have to be less than 110 mphs.
Strong Tornadoes- 29% if all tornadoes are classified as a strong tornado. Strong tornadoes cause 30% of tornado related deaths and these tornadoes can last 20 minutes or longer and to be classified as a strong tornado the winds must be 110-205 mphs.
Violent Tornadoes- only 2% of tornadoes are violent yet it causes 70% of deaths and can last over one hour. to classify as a violent tornado winds must be greater that 205 mph.
- Tornadoes cannot occur over water. If a tornado does occur over water it is called a waterspout.
- A waterspout is a weak tornado that occurs overwater, however if this waterspout moves inward it becomes a tornado that can go on to cause great damage.
- Tornados can occur in many differnt sizes and they are mainly classified into 3 differnt groups:
Weak Tornadoes- 69% of all tornados are classified as a weak tornados. THey cause less than 5% of deaths caused by tornados, the lifetime of a weak tornado would be 1-10 minutes. To be classified as a weak tornado the winds caused but the tornado would have to be less than 110 mphs.
Strong Tornadoes- 29% if all tornadoes are classified as a strong tornado. Strong tornadoes cause 30% of tornado related deaths and these tornadoes can last 20 minutes or longer and to be classified as a strong tornado the winds must be 110-205 mphs.
Violent Tornadoes- only 2% of tornadoes are violent yet it causes 70% of deaths and can last over one hour. to classify as a violent tornado winds must be greater that 205 mph.