A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornados are particularly associated with severe thunderstorms because stronger storms make it easier for tornados to form. During a supercell storm, characterized by powerful updrafts, warm, less heavy air begins to rise and meets colder and heavier air above it. Wind shears make tornadoes easier to form. A wind shear is when a warmer air collides with a colder air. Faster air begins to spin and roll over slower wind and beings to grow in size. Horizontal wind begins to spin like a cylinder. As more warm air rises, spinning air encounters more updraft. Winds begin to spin vertically upwards and gains momentum. Spinning winds create a vortex and the tornado is fully formed, prepared to touchdown.
Is there a rating scale for tornadoes? …show more content…
There’s 6 categories on the ‘Fujita scale”. The scale ranges from F1 to F6. An F0 tornado is considered a gale tornado with wind speeds between 40-72 mph. An F1 is a moderate tornado with wind speeds between 73-112 mph. An F2 is a significant tornado with wind reaching speeds between 113-157 mph. F3 tornados are considered severe with wind speeds reaching 158 and peaking at 206 mph. F4 is a devastating tornado wind speeds reaching up to 260 mph. The last two are F5 and F6 tornadoes appropriately named incredible and inconceivable with wind speeds reaching from 261 to 379