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Inquiry 2.1 Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes
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Directions: Read “That’s a Fact: An Introduction to Thunderstorms,
Tornadoes and Hurricanes.” Answer the questions below. Then complete
the table.
1. Name two facts you learned about thunderstorms.
 Disturbances in the earth’s atmosphere that can include all or some
of theses events: lightning, thunder, gusty winds, heavy rain, and
hail
 Can produce hail the size of half a golf ball, flash floods, and even
tornadoes
 Occur most often along the Gulf Coast
 Most occur in spring and summer rarely in winter
2. What is a big rotating wind and rainstorm called in different areas?
Draw lines to match.
Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean
Typhoon
Western Pacific Ocean
Hurricane
Indian Ocean or off the coast of Australia
Cyclone
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3. Complete Table: Compare and Contrast Tornadoes and Hurricanes
Question
Tornado
Hurricane
Where is it likely to
form?
 “Tornado Alley” –
 Over warm waters,
Central Plains
including the Pacific,
between the Rocky
Atlantic, and Indian
Mts. and the
Oceans
Mississippi River
What causes it to
form?
 When moist, warm air
 When warm, moist
meets cool dry air
air rises over tropical
head on
waters and wind
speeds reach beyond
73 mph
How big is it?
 Usually between 100
and 600 m
 Usually 342 miles in
diameter
 Some are only a few
meters
 Others are more than
1600 m ( 1 mile ) wide
How fast does it
move?
 Some are nearly still
 Moves from 5 to 15
mph
 Some move faster
than 62 mph
How fast do its
winds rotate?
With what scale can
you measure its
damage?
 Winds rotate up to
217 mph
 Range from 74 to
155 mph or more
 Fujita Scale
 Saffir/Simpson Scale