Download Saharsh Newspaper pages Tornadoes disaster thing copy

January 20, 2015 Volume VII
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Tornadoes are an atmospheric event.
A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air known as
a vortex that has reached the ground. It is often
associated with a funnel cloud, a funnel-shaped cloud
that may appear near the ground in a thunderstorm.
Tornado winds swirl at speeds that may exceed 300
miles (480 kilometers) per hour on rare occasions.
The most damaging tornadoes form in storms called
supercells. A supercell is a large, powerful
thunderstorm. It contains a rapidly rotating air mass
called a mesocyclone. For a supercell to form, and
perhaps spawn a tornado, several basic conditions
must exist. There must be an adequate supply of
moisture to feed the storm. There must be a layer of
warm, moist air near the ground and a layer of cool air
above. Finally, the winds at higher elevations must
differ from those at lower levels in speed, direction, or
both.
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The deadliest tornado in U.S. history was the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, also called the Great TriState Tornado. A catastrophic storm that traveled from southeastern Missouri through southern Illinois
and into southwestern Indiana on March 18, 1925, the storm completely destroyed a number of towns
and caused 695 deaths.
The Super Outbreak of 2011 was a series of tornadoes on April 26–28, 2011, that affected parts of
the southern, eastern, and central United States and produced particularly severe damage in the state
of Alabama. It was the largest outbreak of tornadoes ever recorded; preliminary estimates suggested
that more than 300 tornadoes occurred across 15 states. The number of deaths caused by the outbreak
was, according to initial estimates, at least 340. The states affected were Mississippi, Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, West Virginia,
Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, and New York.
The first requirement for tornadoes is moisture. Tornadoes and other severe storms often form along
a dry line. In North America, the dry line is a boundary separating warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico
and hot, dry air from the west. The second requirement for tornadoes is air temperature. If there is warm
and moist air at a lower altitude and very cold and dry air at a higher altitude, the warmer air will rise
rapidly. The air cools as it rises. The faster the wind speed, larger and more violent the storm and the
more likely it will spawn a tornado. Storms may develop when warm air rides up over a shallow layer of
cooler air. Storms may also form when moist air lifts over mountains, hills, or other high spots. The third
requirement for tornadoes is wind. Winds at higher elevations differ greatly from winds at lower elevations.
Those things maybe speed, direction, or both. The difference of wind direction and wind speed is called
wind shear. Wind shear makes the column of rising air begin to rotate. At first, the swirling air forms a
broad, horizontal tube. As the storm develops, the tube tilts upright. It becomes the rotating column of air
called a mesocyclone.
Most tornadoes form in supercells. But others form in a large group of storms called a mesoscale
convective system (MCS). What mesoscale means is between small and intermediate. The MCS is the large
group of storms that can cause severe damage.
When are tornadoes most likely to occur?
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Tornadoes can occur at any time of the year and day. In the southern part of America, peak tornado
season is from March through May. Peak times for tornadoes in the northern part of America are
during the summer.A couple of tornadoes in the southern part of America has a second peak time for
tornado outbreaks. It is in the fall. During a Tornado
If you are at home during a tornado, go to a basement of interior room
underground like a bathroom or closet. If you can, get under a sturdy piece of
furniture, like a table. Get out of vehicles. Never try to outrun a tornado in your
car. Leave it immediately. If you’re outside, go to a ditch or low lying area and lie
flat in it. Stay away from fallen power lines and stay out of damaged areas.
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If You Are At School During A Tornado
If you are at school during a tornado, go to a basement. Basements offer the best
protection. If your school doesn’t have a basement, go to interior rooms and
hallways on the lowest floor which are away from windows. Get down on your
knees and protect your head with your arm.
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