Tornadoes form when warm, humid air collides with cool, dry air, causing instability in the atmosphere and a spinning wind. They appear as a funnel-shaped cloud that can be over a mile wide and 50 miles long, with winds reaching 300 mph. Tornadoes most commonly occur in the central US between March and May. While they can cause significant damage and an average of 80 deaths per year in the US, building giant walls may help reduce but not eliminate tornadoes in high-risk areas, though the project would be very costly.

1. TORNADOES
Veronica Castro

2. WHAT IS A TORNADO?
The literal definition of a tornado is:
 “a mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds
having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and
advancing beneath a large storm system.”
 In other words, a tornado is a funnel shaped cloud that comes
to shape after a thunderstorm and fast winds.

3. What is a Tornado Cont.
 Tornadoes form with warm humid
air mixing with cool dry air.
 When the two different types of air
meet and collide, instability in the
atmosphere occurs.
 Then a change in the wind direction as
well as an increase in the wind speed
create an invisible horizontal spinning
effect.
 The winds can reach up to
300mph
 Tornadoes can cover up to one
mile wide and 50 miles long
 They develop very rapidly,
therefore at times it is hard to
provide enough warning

4. HOW TO BECOME AWARE OF AN
APPROACHING TORNADO
 Before a tornado hits:
 “the wind may die down and the
air may become very still.”
 “A cloud of debris can mark the
location of a tornado even if a
funnel is not visible.”
 “Tornadoes generally occur near
the trailing edge of a
thunderstorm”
 “It is not uncommon to see
clear, sunlit skies behind a
tornado”

5. TORNADO WARNINGS
 Because tornadoes develop
very rapidly, warnings are
often given with very little
notice
https://youtu.be/4_ZZFKjjoL0

6. WHEN/WHERE ARE TORNADOES MOST
LIKELY TO OCCUR?  Tornadoes can hit during any time
of the year.
 “Tornadoes occur in many parts of
the world, including Australia,
Europe, Africa, Asia, and South
America. Even New Zealand
reports about 20 tornadoes each
year”, but are most likely to hit the
center of the US (Tornado Alley)
 For the northern states, Tornadoes
usually hit around the summer
time.
 In southern states the “tornado
season” is between March and
May.
 The US central is hit with at least
500 tornadoes a year.
 The center of the US is the region
in which the air becomes unstable
(cold air clashes with warm air
which is why tornadoes are seen in
that area.)

7. HOW DO TORNADOES AFFECT LIFE ON
EARTH?
 Tornadoes can be extremely
destructive.
 They cause an average of
80 fatalities and 1,500
injuries in the U.S. each year.
(mostly from flying or falling
debris)
 $400 million in property
damage annually.
 Besides the fatalities,
tornadoes destroy anything
in their paths.
 Tornadoes pick up dirt and soil
as they move. They will carry all
of the dirt and debris they pick
up and eventually drop it
somewhere else.
 Depending on how strong the
tornado is, significant damage
to the Earth's structure can
occur. T
 Tornadoes also have the
strength to uproot trees and
flatten foothills if the soil is soft
enough.
 As a result of a tornado, animal
populations may have to move
somewhere else in order to
survive.
 Debris left over from the
tornado may also circulate into
the environment causing
pollution if the damage is
severe.

8. CAN TORNADOES BE STOPPED?
 It is believed that a “Giant
Wall” can be the solution (not
completely)
 China and the US have
similar geographic locations:
 Northern China Plain and the
Eastern China Plain is also in the
zone of mixing, similar to
Tornado Alley
 Tornadoes are a smaller threat in
China because there are three
east-west mountain ranges to
protect these plains from
tornadoes

9. Can Tornadoes be
Stopped?
 Because of the mountains in
China, it is believed that
building Giant walls in North
Dakota, the middle of
Oklahoma, and Texas to
Louisiana (frequent tornado
targets) and then extending
them to other tornado targets
would reduce the number of
tornadoes in the US.
 Although it sounds like a good
idea, it will not stop tornadoes
all together.
 Besides that, the project will be
very costly.

10. THANK YOU