Tornadoes come from the energy released in a thunderstorm. As powerful as they are, tornadoes account for only a tiny fraction of the energy in a thunderstorm. What makes them dangerous is that their energy is concentrated in a small area, perhaps only a hundred yards across. Not all tornadoes are the same, of course, and science does not yet completely understand how part of a thunderstorm's energy sometimes gets focused into something as small as a tornado..
How fast can a tornado go?
We're not really sure what the highest wind speed might be inside a tornado. Since strong and violent tornadoes destroy weather instruments, we really only have measurements of the winds inside weaker tornadoes. Mobile Doppler radars can measure wind speeds in a tornado above ground level -- and the strongest was 318 mph measured on May 3, 1999 near Bridge Creek/Moore, Oklahoma.
What are the people called who study tornadoes?
People who study tornadoes are just research meteorologists. You may have heard another term - storm chaser - but that really refers to people who chase tornadoes for a hobby. Research meteorologists do science. They have to come up with questions they think they can answer by taking certain measurements.
People who study tornadoes are just research meteorologists. You may have heard another term - storm chaser - but that really refers to people who chase tornadoes for a hobby. Research meteorologists do science. They have to come up with questions they think they can answer by taking certain measurements.
How fast do tornadoes move?
We don't have detailed statistics about this. Movement can range from almost stationary to more than 60 mph. A typical tornado travels at around 10-20 miles per hour.
How long is a tornado usually on the ground?
Detailed statistics about the time a tornado is on the ground are not available. This time can range from an instant to several hours. The average is about five minutes.
Detailed statistics about the time a tornado is on the ground are not available. This time can range from an instant to several hours. The average is about five minutes.
Does NSSL do things like they showed in the movie "Twister"?
The movie Twister was based upon work NSSL did in the mid-1980s using a 55-gallon drum outfitted with various meteorological sensors. It was called TOTO (TOtable Tornado Observatory). NSSL tried for several years to put it in the path of an oncoming tornado, but had minimal success. It did not have the sensors that fly up into the tornado, like in the movie. However, that is not a bad idea and with all the advances being made in computer technology, we might be able to do that someday.
What direction do tornadoes spin?
Most tornadoes (but not all) in the Northern Hemisphere spin counterclockwise.
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