Tornados form from rotating columns of air that descend from cumulonimbus clouds and touch the ground. They range from 100 meters to 1.6 kilometers in diameter and can travel over 100 kilometers. Tornados primarily form in the central United States due to clashes between warm and cold air masses. They are hazardous because of their unpredictable nature and ability to cause severe damage to people and property quickly. Humans have developed warning systems and the enhanced Fujita scale to measure tornado intensity to help respond to the tornado hazard.