Weather Conditions
Tornadoes are a very scary weather hazard but they can only be created if certain weather conditions occur, natural wind will definitely not create a tornado if anyone is worried! Tornadoes are often formed by supercell thunderstorms* that can often grow to over 12 kilometres high. (40,000 feet)
For a tornado to develop, several conditions must be present in the atmosphere at the same time, so don't be worried if a casual thunderstorm is happening right now. Unless all of the following conditions are occurring, then you're safe. The conditions are: low-level moisture, atmospheric instability, and a "trigger" such as a cold front, warm front or other zones where winds lift moist air overhead. Tornadoes usually form in areas where winds at different speeds are not only strong but also turn with height in a clockwise direction. There are two youtube videos below showing tornadoes in the making and actually happening and you can see how dangerous the weather actually is before, during and after a tornado. Both videos are not fake at all, no effects or editing, both very true and real. It probably isn't the wisest thing to be filming while a tornado is going around but people have done it and it is great to see how the weather is during a tornado if you are interested. |
*Supercell Thunderstorms: A deep, persistently rotating updraft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercell *Instability: The state of equilibrium in which a parcel of air when displaced has a tendency to move further away from its original position. http://www.weather.com/glossary/i.html#instable |
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