The word tornado comes from Spanish language and means to twist or turn. A tornado is a whirlwind produced by atmospheric conditions, mainly extremely low pressure, during a severe thunderstorm.
Tornadoes usually turn counterclockwise. They appear as funnel shaped columns of violently rotating winds that reach down from a storm and touch the ground. Although a tornado is not always visible to the eye, tornadic conditions can still be picked up on radar, or the tornado may become visible once debris and dirt are pulled into it.
What does the word tornado mean?