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Type of Stormdefinition
Tornado
Rapidly whirling,
funnel-shaped
cloud that reaches
down from a
storm cloud to
touch Earth’s
surface
Causes
Fun Facts
Effects
Safety
Ward, humid air
mass that moves
north collides with
cold, dry air
moving south
somewhere in the
Great Plains is
common. Cold air
pushes
underneath the
warm air causing it
to rise creating a
line that can
produce 10 or
more tornadoes
called a squall line.
Negative effects
are caused by
damaging winds
and flying debris.
The low pressure
from inside the
tornado sucks us
dust and debris.
Can move or
shatter objects.
Can move objects
up to 30 miles
away.
The basement of a
well-built building
will be the safest.
Stay away from
windows. Lie on
the floor under
something sturdy.
If outside, move to
a building or lie in
a ditch.
Hurricane
A tropical storm
that has winds of
119+ Km/hr.
Begins over warm
water as a lowpressure area, or
tropical
disturbance. (The
tropical
disturbance could
grow to a storm,
then hurricane.)
The energy of a
hurricane is from
the warm, humid
air at the ocean’s
surface. This forms
clouds and more
air is drawn to the
surface. The winds
spiral inward to
this area of low
pressure.
Winds can
approach 480
km/hr.
Brief but deadly.
Develop in low,
heavy
cumulonimbus
clouds, same as
thunderstorms.
Spring or early
summer is most
likely to occur.
Around 800
tornadoes a year
in the US alone.
Can level houses
on one side of the
street without
touching the other
side.
Typical hurricane
is 600 meters
across.
Most common
between June and
November.
Form in the
Atlantic, Pacific,
and Indian
Oceans. Most
common in
Atlantic.
The center of a
hurricane has the
lowest air
pressure and
warmest
temperatures.
Winds can reach
320Km/hr. In the
center. The center
surrounds the eye
of the storm. After
the eye, the winds
switch directions.
Can last a week. It
Bring much
needed rainfall to
these areas.
Hurricanes also
bring high waves,
wind, rain, and
flooding. It can
damage and
destroy trees,
buildings, and
power lines.
The storm surge is
the most
dangerous. The
water level of the
ocean rise to six
meters above
normal sea level.
This then sweeps
across the coast
along with the
hurricane. This has
been known to
wash away
beaches and
destroy buildings.
Hurricane watches
warn citizens 36
hours in advance
of a possible
hurricane. People
evacuate
temporarily or are
ready to evacuate.
Hurricane warning
tells citizens to
leave the area
quickly. If you
must stay, move
to the interior of a
building away
from windows.
Thunderstorm
Heavy rainstorms
accompanied by
thunder and
lightning.
Formed in large
cumulonimbus
clouds which are
also known as
thunderheads.
Occurs when
warm air is forced
upward because
of a cold front.
Occurs also
because of hot,
humid afternoons
in the spring and
summertime. This
is because the
warm, humid air
rises quickly, and
as it rises, it cools
forming
thunderhead
clouds.
Winter Storm
Snow fall with
strong winds.
Snow is the form
of precipitation
when humid air
cools to 0°C or
below.
loses strength as it
passes over land
because it does
not have the
ocean air pressure
anymore.
Thunderstorms
produce amazing
upward and
downward winds
within the cloud.
When a
downward draft
strikes the ground,
it creates bursts of
wind, wind shears.
Lightning is a
sudden spark
which is a
discharge of
energy. These
sudden sparks
occur between
clouds, in a cloud,
or between the
cloud and the
ground. Thunder is
caused by the
lightning. The
lightning can heat
the air around it
up to 30,000°C.
This hot air
expands
explosively.
Thunder is that
sound of the hot
air expanding.
Strong winds can
blow snow
sideways or keep
snow up off the
ground and hold it
there.
Heavy rains,
sometimes hail.
Wind shears can
cause a number of
airplane accidents.
Lightning could
start forest fires,
shock animals or
people, which can
cause burns, heart
failure, or
unconsciousness.
Avoid touching
metal. Lightning
rods can take the
energy from the
lightning and
transfer it safely
into the ground.
That is why people
put lightning rods
at the tallest point
of their house or
building.
Seeking shelter
under a tree is
very dangerous
because lightning
could strike that
tree. Find a low
area and crawl to
it, staying close to
the ground. Do
not go in the
water during a
lightning storm.
Avoid touching
this that can
transfer electricity.
Vehicles are safe,
just avoid any
metal parts.
Roads are blocked,
people are
trapped in their
homes, and
emergency
vehicles have
difficulty with
transportation.
Crops can be
damaged and
Find shelter from
the wind. Cover all
parts of your body
and stay dry. In a
vehicle, the driver
should only have
the vehicle
running if the
exhaust pipe is
clear of snow.
water pipes could
freeze. These cool
conditions with
strong wind can
cool a person’s
body temperature
down rapidly.
Information taken from (2002). Earth Science (Teacher's ed. , pp. 567-575). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.