Several conditions are required for the development of tornadoes and the thunderstorm clouds with which most tornadoes are associated.

Finally, tornadoes usually form in areas where winds at all levels of the atmosphere are not only strong, but also turn with height in a clockwise or veering direction.

Tornadoes can appear as a traditional funnel shape, or in a slender rope-like form.

Tornadoes form in a circular shape.

YES!

NO!

A funnel cloud is a rotating cone-shaped column of air extending downward from the base of a thunderstorm, but not touching the ground.

A funnel cloud is a rectangular rotating thing made by nature.

A supercell thunderstorm is a long-lived thunderstorm whose updrafts and downdrafts are in near balance.

Supercell thunderstorm are drafts.

A mesocyclone is a rotating vortex of air within a supercell thunderstorm.

Mesocyclones do not always produce tornadoes.

A microburst is a downdraft (sinking air) in a thunderstorm that is less than 2.8 miles in scale.

A microburst is a downdraft (sinking air) in a thunderstorm that is less than 2.5 miles in scale.

A wall cloud is an abrupt lowering of a rain-free cumulonimbus base into a low-hanging accessory cloud.

A wall cloud is an abrupt lowering of a rain-free cumulonimbus base into a high-hanging accessory cloud.

A hook echo describes a pattern in radar reflectivity images that looks like a hook extending from the radar echo, usually in the left-rear part of the storm (relative to the motion of the storm).

A hook echo describes a pattern in radar reflectivity images that looks like a hook extending from the radar echo, usually in the right-rear part of the storm (relative to the motion of the storm).

Hail is created when small water droplets are caught in the updraft of a thunderstorm.

Hail is created when huge water droplets are caught in the updraft of a thunderstorm.

According to the National Weather Service, the largest hailstone is 7 inches in diameter and weights approximately 16 pounds.

According to the National Weather Service, the largest hailstone is 8 inches in diameter and weights approximately 2 pounds.

A gustnado is a short-lived, relatively weak whirlwind that forms along a gust front.

A gustnado is a long-lived, relatively weak whirlwind that forms along a gust front.

A landspout is a very weak tornado that is not associated with a wall cloud or a mesocyclone.

A landspout is a very weak tornado that is not associated with a wall cloud or a Typhoon.

A dust devil generally forms in the hot sun during the late morning or early afternoon hours.

A dust devil generally forms in the hot sun during the late morning or early afternoon minutes.

Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.

Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North Pole

About 1,200 tornadoes hit the U.S. yearly.

About 1,200 tornadoes hit the U.S. monthly

Tornado Alley is a nickname invented by the media for a broad area of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central U.S. Various Tornado Alley maps look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways: by all tornadoes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods.

Tornado Alley is a nickname invented by the media for a broad area of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central U.S. Various Tornado Alley maps look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways: by all Hurricanes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods.

Tornadoes can happen at any time of the year and at any time of the day.

Typhoons can happen at any time of the year and at any time of the day.

We’re not really sure what the highest wind speed might be inside a tornado, since strong and violent tornadoes destroy weather instruments.

We’re not really sure what the highest wind speed might be inside a tornado, since strong and violent tornadoes build weather instruments.

Movement can range from almost stationary to more than 60 mph. A typical tornado travels at around 10–20 miles per hour.

Movement can range from almost stationary to more than 60 mph. A typical tornado travels at around 10–60 miles per hour.

This time can range from an instant to several hours. The average is about five minutes.

Detailed statistics about the time a tornado is on the ground are available.

People who have been in a tornado say it sounds like a jet engine or a freight train and is very loud.

People who have been in a tornado say it sounds like an airplane paddle or a freight train and is very loud.

You have to consider that the tornado is part of something bigger: the supercell thunderstorm. Unless you disrupt the supercell thunderstorm itself, you would likely have another tornado, even if you were able to destroy the first.

You have to consider that the tornado is part of something bigger: the supercell thunderstorm. Unless you disrupt the supercell thunderstorm itself, you would likely have another tornado, even if you were able to build the first.