Vortex
The circulation of liquids or gases around a central axis.
What is a vortex?
A disturbance in the Earth's atmosphere that usually occurs as warm humid air rises and creates an unstable atmosphere.
What is a thunderstorm
A massive rotating storm that originates over tropical oceans and has sustained winds of more than 119 kilometers per hour.
What is a hurricane?
This happens when a funnel cloud's circulation comes in contact with the ground.
What is a tornado?
The area of low pressure at the center of a hurricane.
What is the eye (of a hurricane)?
The plural of vortex.
What is vortices?
4 Characteristics of a thunderstorm.
What are gusty winds, heavy rain, lightning, and thunder?
June 1 - November 30
What is hurricane season?
3 Tornado Appearances
What are twisting, ropelike funnel; cylindrical funnel; massive, black funnel?
The most dangerous part of the hurricane with the highest speed winds.
What is the eye wall?
The uneven heating of the earth's surfaces, the force of gravity, and the earth's rotation can all set air in motion.
What is reasons a vortex can form in the atmosphere?
Spring and summer months during the warmest parts of the day.
What is the most common time of the year for thunderstorms to occur?
A hurricane that develops north of equator and in the western Pacific Ocean.
What is a typhoon.
The location of most tornadoes in North America.
What is Tornado Alley?
The direction most tornadoes rotate in the northern hemisphere.
Because of this, air in the atmosphere does not flow in a straight line.
What is earth's rotation
If the temperature in part of a thundercloud falls below freezing and winds are strong, this can develop.
What is hail?
The name of the scale that categorizes hurricanes based on wind speed.
What is the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale?
The name of the scale to rate tornadoes based on wind speeds.
What is the Enhanced Fujita or Fujita Scale of Tornadoes?
A tornado that forms over water.
What is a waterspout?
A rapidly rotating cloud that becomes visible as a funnel at the base of a thundercloud.
What is a funnel cloud?
The estimated number of thunderstorms occurring on the earth at any given moment.
What is 1,500 to 2,000?
A hurricane with wind speed of 85 miles per hour would be categorized as this category.
What is a Category 1 Hurricane?
A tornado with wind speed of 115 miles per hour would be classified as this rating of tornado.
What is an EF-2 or F-2 Tornado?
The country that has the most tornadoes each year.
What is the United States?