Parts of a Tornado
What is a supercell?
Large thunderstorms that produce tornados
What is a Tornado Watch?
A tornado MAY be headed your way, keep alert
What is Tornado Alley?
An area of the US where many tornadoes occur each year.
What IS a tornado?
A dangerous storm with high wind speeds and a rotating column of air that extends from the storm cloud to the ground.
What is an updraft?
A current of warm rising air that moves into the upper cloud mass.
What is a tornado warning?
A Tornado WILL come to your area, take cover!
What is the Fujita Scale?
The scale which measures the severity of tornadoes.
What kind of storm is most likely to spawn a tornado?
A supercell thunderstorm.
What is the tornado funnel?
A spinning column of air that reaches from the cloud to the ground.
Where should go inside if there is a tornado approaching?
Basement, lower level, room without windows
What is the "Mesocylcone"?
The spinning center of a tornado.
What conditions must occur for a tornado to form?
Moist, warm air must meet cold, dry air and create an unstable, spinning air mass.
Where is the mesocyclone?
In the middle of the tornado.
What should you do if a tornado approaches while you are driving?
Stop your car, lie in a ditch or flat, hollow area by the road.
Name two states in Tornado Alley.
Which states have never had a tornado?
AH HA!
All states have had a tornado at some point.
What does the term "anvil" refer to in a tornado?
The large anvil-shaped cloud mass at the top of the tornado/storm.
What should you NOT do if you're in a car during a tornado? Why?
Do not stay in your car, do not try to drive faster than the tornado.
Because you could be sucked up into the tornado in your car, which could severely injure you.
What time of day is a tornado MOST likely to occur?
Late afternoon to evening.
What happens when warm air is sucked up into the storm cloud and meets the horizonatal rotating column of air?
The horizontal column of air is pushed vertical, creating the lonf "funnel" shape of a tornado.