Vocabularies of Natural Phenomena of Tornado

Front

What is a tornado?

Back

A rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.

Front

What are the stages of a tornado's life cycle?

Back

1. Dust-whirl stage 2. Organizing stage 3. Mature stage 4. Shrinking stage 5. Decay stage.

Front

What is the Fujita scale?

Back

A scale for rating the intensity of tornadoes based on the damage they cause.

Front

What is a funnel cloud?

Back

A funnel cloud is a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm and is not in contact with the ground.

Front

What is a supercell?

Back

A type of thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a rotating updraft called a mesocyclone, often associated with severe weather including tornadoes.

Front

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

Back

A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes, while a tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.

Front

What is the average lifespan of a tornado?

Back

Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes, but some can last for over an hour.

Front

What is the strongest tornado ever recorded?

Back

The EF5 tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, which caused extensive damage and loss of life.

Front

What are the typical wind speeds of a tornado?

Back

Wind speeds can range from 40 mph in weak tornadoes to over 300 mph in the strongest tornadoes.

Front

What is a tornado's path?

Back

The path is the track that a tornado follows on the ground, which can vary in length and width.