Tornadoes are violent rotating columns of air that extend from thunderstorms to the ground, with some capable of wind speeds over 300 mph. They typically form when warm, moist air meets cool, dry air, creating instability and a change in wind direction and speed that causes horizontal spinning to become vertical. Most strong tornadoes develop within the rotating air extending through the storm. On average, around 1000 tornadoes occur each year in the USA, lasting only a few minutes most often between 3-9pm, with three out of four occurring in the USA. A water spout is essentially a tornado that forms over water.

1. Tornadoes

2. Tornado Definition A tornado is a… violent rotating column of air that starts at a thunderstorm and extends to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of up to 300 mph.

3. How tornadoes work Most tornadoes form from thunderstorms. You need warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cool, dry air from Canada. When these two air masses meet (because they are different), they create instability in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction and an increase in wind speed creates an invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere. Rising air within the updraft tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical. An area of rotation, 2-6 miles wide, now extends through much of the storm. Most strong and violent tornadoes form within this area of strong rotation.

4. Five facts about tornadoes There area around 1000 tornadoes per year reported in the United States of America. A typical tornado only lasts a few minutes. Most tornadoes occur between 3pm and 9pm. Tornadoes have their own colour, shape and sound. Three out of every four tornadoes occurs in the USA.

5. Water spout You may be wondering what a water spout is? It is actually just a tornado that is formed over the water, it does look slightly different though. By Mr Smith