A powerpoint presentation on tornadoes.

1. TornadoesBy: Marlon Ramtahal
Professor William Vasil
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EinzBoVnmRs/maxresdefault.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6h8043y-PwI/maxresdefault.jpg http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/review/tornado/tornado-lightning-
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2. What is a tornado?
Tornadoes are also known as “twisters.” Why? Because when a tornado takes
place, tornadoes in fact are meant to spin in a circular motion
1. a violently 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 (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
2. a destructive storm that appear as a powerful rotating mixture of wind
and thunderstorm clouds (E-School Today, eschooltoday.com/natural-
disasters/tornadoes/what-is-a-tornado.html)

3. Where does the word “tornado” come
from?
The word tornado comes from the Spanish word tronada, which means
"thunderstorm."
In Latin, it means “to thunder” or “to turn.”

4. Types of Tornadoes
A multiple-vortex tornado is a type of tornado where two or more columns of air
spin and rotate in pretty much any type of circular motion and around a common
center. It is very often observed in intense tornado scenery.
A waterspout is a kind of tornado that takes place over a body of water. (If you
are near a beach or any other kind of body of water, you will be able to see the
waterspout formulating.)
A landspout, is a slang term for a tornado. The name stems from their
characterization as a "fair weather waterspout on land.“ Like a waterspout, a
landspout takes place over land.

5. Types of Tornadoes
A dust devil (also known as a whirlwind) resembles a tornado that moves in a
vertical swirling motion of air. They form under clear skies and are no stronger
that “weak tornadoes.”
Small-scale, tornado-like circulations can occur near any intense surface heat
source. Those that occur near intense wildfires are called fire whirls. (Mother
Nature Network)
A steam devil is a rotating updraft that involves steam or smoke. Steam devils
are very rare, but it is form from smoke resulting from a power plant’s
smokestack.

6. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/06/fire-whirl_n_5277565.html
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/2005_dust_devil.html
Dr. Joseph Golden, NOAA - NOAA
(http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea00308.htm
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7. Characteristics of Tornadoes
 SIZE AND SHAPE Most tornadoes take on the appearance of a narrow funnel, a few
hundred yards (meters) across, with a small cloud of debris near the ground. Tornadoes
may look completely different if there is rain or dust. These tornadoes are especially
dangerous, as even experienced meteorologists might not see them.
 APPEARANCE Tornadoes can come in many variations, depending on the
environment in which you live in and weather climate. Those that form in dry
environments can be nearly invisible.
 COLOR If you are caught in a waterspout, tornadoes can turn very white
or even blue. Slow-moving funnels, which ingest a considerable amount of debris and
dirt, are usually darker, taking on the color of debris.
 Tornadoes in the Great Plains can turn red because of the reddish tint of the soil.
 Tornadoes in mountainous areas can travel over snow-covered ground, turning white
 Lighting conditions are a major factor in the appearance of a tornado. A tornado which
is "back-lit" (viewed with the sun behind it) appears very dark. Tornadoes which occur
near the time of sunset can be many different colors, appearing in hues of yellow,
orange, and pink

8. How do we detect if a tornado is
coming?
 Computer programs, known as algorithms, analyze and detect tornadoes.
They usually detect them by waves and currents of the algorithm experiment.
This computer programs makes it easier for forecasters/weatherman to
identify dangerous weather.
 A storm with a tornado observed by radar has certain distinguishing features
and forecasters are trained to recognize them.
 When a Doppler radar detects a large updraft that occurs inside a supercell, it
is called a mesocyclone. The mesocyclone is usually 2-6 miles in diameter,
and is much larger than the tornado that may develop within it. (National
Weather Service)

9. Fun Facts About Tornadoes!
The winds of a tornado can reach speeds of up to 480km per hour - that's strong enough to peel the roofs off houses, uproot
trees and hurl heavy objects, such as cars, hundreds of meters!
The duration of tornadoes, and the distance they travel, varies. Most last less than ten minutes and travel five to ten
kilometers before disappearing. In extreme cases, however, they can last several hours and cross distances over 150km!
Tornadoes are measured using the Fujita Scale (or F-scale), ranging from F0 to F5, with F5 being the strongest and most
destructive.
The deadliest tornado ever recorded was in Bangladesh in 1989. As it travelled through the Dhaka region of the country, more
than 20 villages were destroyed and around 1,300 people were killed.
Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.
Most of the world's tornadoes occur in the United States in what's known as Tornado Alley. Stretching from west Texas to North
Dakota, this area can see more than 200 tornadoes each year!
Not all tornadoes are easy to see. In fact, they can be invisible until they pick up dust and debris, or a cloud forms within the
spinning funnel.
The formation of a tornado is so complex that scientists still don't completely understand it. And what's more, the
unpredictability of tornadoes makes them difficult - and dangerous - to study. A tornado will demolish everything in its path,
including measuring equipment. And so, the secrets behind this incredible force of nature are yet to be discovered.
(National Geographic Kids)
http://www.ngkids.co.uk/science-and-nature/tornado-facts

10. How to stay safe during a tornado?
 Make sure you have a portable radio, preferably a NOAA Weather Radio, for weather alerts and updates.
Seek shelter in the lowest level of your home, such as a basement or storm cellar. If you don't have a
basement, go to an inner hallway, a smaller inner room or a closet. Keep away from all windows and glass
doorways.
 Keep away from all windows and glass doorways.
 If you're in a building such as a church, hospital, school or office building, go to the innermost part of the
building on the lowest floor. Do not use elevators because the power may fail, leaving you trapped.
 You can cushion yourself with a mattress, but don't cover yourself with one. Cover your head and eyes with a
blanket or jacket to protect against flying debris and broken glass. Don't waste time moving mattresses
around.
 Keep pets on a leash or in a crate or carrier.
 Stay inside until you're certain the storm has passed, as multiple tornadoes can emerge from the same
storm.
 Do not leave a building to attempt to "escape" a tornado
 https://weather.com/safety/tornado/news/tornadoes-safety-during-20120330

11. References
•"merriam-webster.com". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2012-09-03.
•Wurman, Joshua (2008-08-29). "Doppler On Wheels". Center for Severe Weather Research. Retrieved 2009-12-
•"Hallam Nebraska Tornado". National Weather Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2005-
•Roger Edwards (2006-04-04). "The Online Tornado FAQ". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmosp
•National Weather Service (2009-02-03). "15 January 2009: Lake Champlain Sea Smoke, Steam Devils, and Wat
•Sid Perkins (2002-05-11). "Tornado Alley, USA". Science News. pp. 296–298. Archived from the original on 2006-
•"Tornado: Global occurrence". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-13.
•Meaden, Terrance (2004). "Wind Scales: Beaufort, T — Scale, and Fujita's Scale". Tornado and Storm Research
•"Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administr
•http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/worlds-weirdest-weather/fire-whirls
•http://www.ngkids.co.uk/science-and-nature/tornado-facts
•https://weather.com/safety/tornado/news/tornadoes-safety-during-20120330