Tornado Science | National Geographic

they are fast and they are deadly the

they are fast and they are deadly the tornado that ripped through this small

tornado that ripped through this small

tornado that ripped through this small town received the second highest

town received the second highest

town received the second highest possible danger rating the type of

possible danger rating the type of

possible danger rating the type of tornado that is almost mythic in its

tornado that is almost mythic in its

tornado that is almost mythic in its scope and power a tornado known as an f4

Barbara Watson rates tornadoes for the

Barbara Watson rates tornadoes for the National Weather Service she goes to

National Weather Service she goes to

National Weather Service she goes to areas where tornadoes have hit and

areas where tornadoes have hit and

areas where tornadoes have hit and assesses the damage done can you what

assesses the damage done can you what

assesses the damage done can you what was the building before it was either

was the building before it was either

was the building before it was either one of these okay Watson uses the Fujita

one of these okay Watson uses the Fujita

one of these okay Watson uses the Fujita scale to rate twisters created by

scale to rate twisters created by

scale to rate twisters created by tornado expert Ted Fujita and adopted by

tornado expert Ted Fujita and adopted by

tornado expert Ted Fujita and adopted by the Weather Service in 1971 it uses

the Weather Service in 1971 it uses

the Weather Service in 1971 it uses damage assessments as a gauge to

damage assessments as a gauge to

damage assessments as a gauge to estimate wind speeds for example an f4

estimate wind speeds for example an f4

estimate wind speeds for example an f4 can reduce strong buildings to rubble

can reduce strong buildings to rubble

can reduce strong buildings to rubble with winds up to 260 miles per hour

with winds up to 260 miles per hour

with winds up to 260 miles per hour while it allows them to classify

while it allows them to classify

while it allows them to classify tornadoes it also helps them better

tornadoes it also helps them better

tornadoes it also helps them better understand a tornadoes potential to

understand a tornadoes potential to

understand a tornadoes potential to create havoc

create havoc

create havoc a tornado results in a range of

a tornado results in a range of

a tornado results in a range of destruction but its ultimate

destruction but its ultimate

destruction but its ultimate classification depends on the worst of

classification depends on the worst of

classification depends on the worst of the damage this tornado has been

the damage this tornado has been

the damage this tornado has been classified in f4 although not all of the

classified in f4 although not all of the

classified in f4 although not all of the damage was considered that severe the

damage was considered that severe the

damage was considered that severe the Fujita scale also helps us understand

Fujita scale also helps us understand

Fujita scale also helps us understand why some buildings are destroyed and

why some buildings are destroyed and

why some buildings are destroyed and nearby structures are spared homeowner

nearby structures are spared homeowner

nearby structures are spared homeowner Jeff posies house was leveled by this f4

Jeff posies house was leveled by this f4

Jeff posies house was leveled by this f4 tornado there’s a screen porch this was

tornado there’s a screen porch this was

tornado there’s a screen porch this was a kitchen then that was all one story

a kitchen then that was all one story

a kitchen then that was all one story then it went to a tea storage structure

then it went to a tea storage structure

then it went to a tea storage structure back past that Watson explains that

back past that Watson explains that

back past that Watson explains that posies house was probably hit by a

posies house was probably hit by a

posies house was probably hit by a vortex a mini tornado that can spin off

vortex a mini tornado that can spin off

vortex a mini tornado that can spin off from the larger mass of swirling winds

from the larger mass of swirling winds

from the larger mass of swirling winds when you have a very large tornado that

when you have a very large tornado that

when you have a very large tornado that tornado will break down into smaller

tornado will break down into smaller

tornado will break down into smaller vortices that are rotating around each

vortices that are rotating around each

vortices that are rotating around each other

other

other 50 yards wide at most and so as that

50 yards wide at most and so as that

50 yards wide at most and so as that comes through it’s it’s kind of hit or

comes through it’s it’s kind of hit or

comes through it’s it’s kind of hit or miss as to whether or not one of those

miss as to whether or not one of those

miss as to whether or not one of those vortices are hitting you Wednes

vortices are hitting you Wednes

vortices are hitting you Wednes instantly inside and the building begins

instantly inside and the building begins

instantly inside and the building begins to disintegrate but in reality it was

to disintegrate but in reality it was

to disintegrate but in reality it was ten seconds it was gone

ten seconds it was gone

ten seconds it was gone thanks to radar and satellite technology

thanks to radar and satellite technology

thanks to radar and satellite technology tornadoes now result in fewer casualties

tornadoes now result in fewer casualties

tornadoes now result in fewer casualties than they once did

than they once did

than they once did Doppler radar which bounces off

Doppler radar which bounces off

Doppler radar which bounces off condensation has allowed the weather

condensation has allowed the weather

condensation has allowed the weather service to monitor storms that can

service to monitor storms that can

service to monitor storms that can spawn tornadoes this is just the

spawn tornadoes this is just the

spawn tornadoes this is just the beginning

beginning

beginning forecasters can now warn people to seek

forecasters can now warn people to seek

forecasters can now warn people to seek shelter before a tornado strikes