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Tornadoes are vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air. Their winds may top 250 miles (400 kilometers) an hour and can clear-cut a pathway a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and 50 miles (80 kilometers) long. [] A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destrucutn with wind speeds up to 300 mph. [] They can destroy large buildings, uproot trees and hurl vehicles hundreds of yards. They can also drive straw into trees. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide to 50 miles long. In an average year, 1000 tornadoes are reported nationwide. 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!

With extreme weather, emergency disaster's happen all the time, so you need survival food when the weather turns **How do tornadoes form?** Most tornadoes form from thunderstorms. You need warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cool, dry air from Can ugly. By taking special precautions, you'll be much more likely to stay safe.

ada. When these two air masses meet, they create instability in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction and an increase in wind speed with increasing height creates an invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere. Rising air within the updraft tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical. An area of rotation, 2-6 miles wide, now extends through much of the storm. Most strong and violent tornadoes form within this area of strong rotation.
 * [[image:http://www.weatherwizkids.com/tornado_formation1.gif width="171" height="125" align="absMiddle" caption="Tornado Formation"]] || [[image:http://www.weatherwizkids.com/tornado_formation2.gif width="170" height="124" align="absMiddle" caption="Tornado Formation"]] || [[image:http://www.weatherwizkids.com/tornado_formation3.gif width="170" height="125" align="absMiddle" caption="Tornado Formation"]] ||

**Click Here** to learn more about tornadoes from NOAA.

**What is a funnel cloud?** A funnel cloud is a rotating cone-shaped column of air extending downward from the base of a thunderstorm, but not touching the ground. When it reaches the ground it is called a tornado.

**How do tornadoes stop?** It is not fully understood about how exactly tornadoes form, grow and die. Tornado researchers are still trying to solve the tornado puzzle, but for every piece that seems to fit they often uncover new pieces that need to be studied.

**What is a supercell thunderstorm?** A supercell thunderstorm is a long-lived thunderstorm whose updrafts and downdrafts are in near balance. These storms have the greatest tendency to produce tornadoes that stay on the ground for long periods of time. Supercell thunderstorms can produce violent tornadoes with winds exceeding 200 mph.

**What is a mesocyclone?** A mesocyclone is a rotating vortex of air within a supercell thunderstorm. Mesocyclones do not always produce tornadoes.

**What is a wall cloud?** A wall cloud is an abrupt lowering of a rain-free cumulonimbus base into a low-hanging accessory cloud. A wall cloud is usually situated in the southwest portion of the storm. A rotating wall cloud usually develops before tornadoes or funnel clouds.

**What is a waterspout?** A waterspout is just a weak tornado that forms over water. They are most common along the Gulf Coast. Waterspouts can sometimes move inland, becoming tornadoes causing damage and injuries.

**What is hail?** Hail is created when small water droplets are caught in the updraft of a thunderstorm. These water droplets are lifted higher and higher into the sky until they freeze into ice. Once they become heavy, they will start to fall. If the smaller hailstones get caught in the updraft again, they will get more water on them and get lifted higher in the sky and get bigger. Once they get lifted again, they freeze and fall. This happens over and over again until the hailstone is too heavy and then falls to the ground.

**What is the largest hailstone recorded in the United States?** According to the National Weather Service, the largest hailstone is 8 inches in diameter and weights approximately 2 pounds. It fell in Vivian, South Dakota on July 23, 2010.

**What is a gustnado?** A gustnado is a short-lived, relatively weak whirlwind that forms along a gust front. A gust front is the surge of very gusty winds at the leading edge of a thunderstorm's outflow of air. Gustnadoes are not tornadoes. They do not connect with any cloud-base rotation. But because gustnadoes often have a spinning dust cloud at ground level, they are sometimes wrongly reported as tornadoes. Gustnadoes can do minor damage.

**What is a landspout?** A landspout is a very weak tornado that is not associated with a wall cloud or a mesocyclone. It is the land equivalent of a waterspout.

**When are tornadoes most likely to occur?** Tornadoes can happen at any time of the year and at any time of the day. In the southern states, peak tornado season is from March through May. Peak times for tornadoes in the northern states are during the summer. A few southern states have a second peak time for tornado outbreaks in the fall. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

**Where are tornadoes most likely to occur?** The geography of the central part of the United States, known as the Great Plains, is suited to bring all of the ingredients together to forms tornadoes. More than 500 tornadoes typically occur in this area every year and is why it is commonly known as "Tornado Alley". Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana all make up Tornado Alley.

**Know the Lingo** **TORNADO WATCH** - Tornadoes are possible in your area. Stay tuned to the radio or television news.

**TORNADO WARNING** - A tornado is either on the ground or has been detected by Doppler radar. Seek shelter immediately!

**Click Here** to see if there are any active warnings in your area.

**Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity** Operational Fujita Scale || 65-85 mph || 86-110 mph || 111-135 mph || 136-165 mph || 166-200 mph || over 200 mph ||
 * SCALE || WIND SPEED || POSSIBLE DAMAGE || Enhanced,
 * F0 || 40-72 mph || Light damage: Branches broken off trees; minor roof damage || EFO
 * F1 || 73-112 mph || Moderate damage: Trees snapped; mobile home pushed off foundations; roofs damaged || EF1
 * F2 || 113-157 mph || Considerable damage: Mobile homes demolished; trees uprooted; strong built homes unroofed || EF2
 * F3 || 158-206 mph || Severe damage: Trains overturned; cars lifted off the ground; strong built homes have outside walls blown away || EF3
 * F4 || 207-260 mph || Devastating damage: Houses leveled leaving piles of debris; cars thrown 300 yards or more in the air || EF4
 * F5 || 261-318 mph || Incredible damage: Strongly built homes completely blown away; automobile-sized missiles generated || EF5

**Tornado Safety Tips** **BEFORE A TORNADO:** Have a disaster plan. Make sure everyone knows where to go in case a tornado threatens. Make sure you know which county or parish you live in. Prepare a kit with emergency food for your home. Have enough food and water for at least 3 days.

**DURING A TORNADO:** Go to a basement. If you do not have a basement, go to an interior room without windows on the lowest floor such as a bathroom or closet. If you can, get under a sturdy piece of furniture, like a table. If you live in a mobile home get out. They offer little protection against tornadoes. Get out of automobiles. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car, leave it immediately. If you’re outside, go to a ditch or low lying area and lie flat in it. Stay away from fallen power lines and stay out of damaged areas.

**IF YOU’RE AT SCHOOL DURING A TORNADO:** Every school should have a disaster plan and have frequent drills. Basements offer the best protection. Schools without basements should use interior rooms and hallways on the lowest floor away from windows. Crouch down on your knees and protect your head with your arms.

**AFTER A TORNADO:** Stay indoors until it is safe to come out. Check for injured or trapped people, without putting yourself in danger. Watch out for downed power lines. Use a flashlight to inspect your home.