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How Do Tornadoes Form

Tornadoes form from thunderstorms when warm air rises and cold air sinks, causing the warm air to twist into a funnel-shaped spiral. For a tornado to form, there needs to be abundant low-level moisture and a trigger to lift the moist air. Within the thunderstorm updraft, rising air spins horizontally and then vertically, creating a rotating column of air between the cloud and ground that can exceed 250 mph.

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73 views1 page

How Do Tornadoes Form

Tornadoes form from thunderstorms when warm air rises and cold air sinks, causing the warm air to twist into a funnel-shaped spiral. For a tornado to form, there needs to be abundant low-level moisture and a trigger to lift the moist air. Within the thunderstorm updraft, rising air spins horizontally and then vertically, creating a rotating column of air between the cloud and ground that can exceed 250 mph.

Uploaded by

Dman0
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How Do Tornadoes Form?

A tornado is a violently column of air in contact with the earth and it extends between a cloud

(often a thunderstorm cloud) and the surface of the earth. Winds in most tornadoes blow at 100

mph or less, but in the most violent and least frequent tornadoes, wind speeds can exceed 250

mph.

Tornadoes a.k.a. twisters typically track along the ground for a few miles or for less than 100

yards wide, although rare monsters can remain in contact with the earth for over 50 miles and

exceeds one mile in width. Several things must take place for the tornadoes and the

thunderstorms, which the tornadoes are most associated with, to be formed. Abundant low level

moisture is necessary, and a “trigger is needed to lift the moist air loft.

Before thunderstorms develop, a change in wind direction and an increase in wind speed with

increasing height creates an invisible, horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere. Rising

air within the thunder storm updraft is 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.

A lower cloud base in the center of the photograph identifies and area of rotation known as a

rotating wall cloud. This area is often, nearly rain-free. Note the rain in the background of the

picture. Moments later a strong tornado develops in this area. Softball-sized hail and damaging

“straight line” winds also occurred with this storm.

Tornadoes usually result form a very large thunderstorm. When cold air and warm air combines,

the cold air decreases while the warm air rises. This warm air eventually twists into a spiral,

forming a funnel cloud. As the sky turns a very dark green color, the tornado begins its path of

destruction.

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