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What is a Tornado?
• A tornado is a violent rotating column of air
extending from a thunderstorm to the ground.
Most tornadoes form from thunderstorms.
• Tornadoes have two parts: a storm and a
funnel cloud. The storm usually causes
thunder, lightning and rain. The funnel cloud
reaches from the storm to the ground and
causes the wind to spin in a circle.
What does it look like?
Tornadoes can appear as a
traditional funnel shape, or in a
slender rope-like form. Some have
a churning, smoky look to them,
others may be nearly invisible,
with only swirling dust or debris at
ground levels.
How is it formed?
• Tornadoes are created by
thunderstorms.
• Sometimes they are called
twisters.
• During the storm cold air and
warm air combine. The cold air
drops as the warm air rises. The
warm air eventually twists into a
spiral and forms a funnel cloud.
When are Tornados Most Likely to Happen?
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.
What are the effects?
• A tornado forms over land. It can cause a lot
of damage to buildings, roads and people.
Tornadoes are smaller storms than hurricanes
but the winds are stronger.
• Some tornadoes have winds that can blow up
to 300 miles an hour! It is so strong it can pick
up houses, cattle and even trucks. It can even
bend steel beams.
• People can get hit by flying objects.
Interesting Facts
In the southern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a clockwise
direction.
In the northern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a
counterclockwise direction.
The USA averages around 1200 tornadoes every year, more than any
other country.
Most tornadoes travel a few miles before exhausting themselves.
Extreme tornadoes can travel much further, sometimes over 100
miles (161kilometres).