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Tornadoes 101 | National Geographic


call them twisters or tornadoes they’re

call them twisters or tornadoes they’re nature’s most violent storms with

nature’s most violent storms with

nature’s most violent storms with swirling winds that can top 300 miles

swirling winds that can top 300 miles

swirling winds that can top 300 miles per hour about 800 twisters sweep

per hour about 800 twisters sweep

per hour about 800 twisters sweep through the US every year

through the US every year

through the US every year or than anywhere else in the world the

or than anywhere else in the world the

or than anywhere else in the world the hardest hit area is a swath of the Great

hardest hit area is a swath of the Great

hardest hit area is a swath of the Great Plains from Texas to South Dakota known

Plains from Texas to South Dakota known

Plains from Texas to South Dakota known as Tornado Alley here warm air flows up

as Tornado Alley here warm air flows up

as Tornado Alley here warm air flows up from the Gulf of Mexico in the spring

from the Gulf of Mexico in the spring

from the Gulf of Mexico in the spring and summer and crashes into cold air

and summer and crashes into cold air

and summer and crashes into cold air pushing down from Canada the meeting

pushing down from Canada the meeting

pushing down from Canada the meeting produces violent thunderstorms called

produces violent thunderstorms called

produces violent thunderstorms called super cells scientists don’t completely

super cells scientists don’t completely

super cells scientists don’t completely understand how or when tornadoes form

understand how or when tornadoes form

understand how or when tornadoes form but they do know a supercell like this

but they do know a supercell like this

but they do know a supercell like this one can produce a twister if the

one can produce a twister if the

one can produce a twister if the conditions are right

as warm/moist air flows into a storm it

as warm/moist air flows into a storm it gets pushed up and twisted by

gets pushed up and twisted by

gets pushed up and twisted by upper-level winds as this rotating

upper-level winds as this rotating

upper-level winds as this rotating column of air gathers force conditions

column of air gathers force conditions

column of air gathers force conditions are ripe for a collision below when rain

are ripe for a collision below when rain

are ripe for a collision below when rain cooled down drafts hit warm air near the

cooled down drafts hit warm air near the

cooled down drafts hit warm air near the ground a low-hanging revolving cloud

ground a low-hanging revolving cloud

ground a low-hanging revolving cloud forms beneath the cell a tornado is

forms beneath the cell a tornado is

forms beneath the cell a tornado is imminent

imminent

imminent tornadoes don’t last long anywhere from

tornadoes don’t last long anywhere from

tornadoes don’t last long anywhere from 20 seconds to an hour but it can take

20 seconds to an hour but it can take

20 seconds to an hour but it can take years to recover from the devastation

years to recover from the devastation

years to recover from the devastation these storms kill nearly 90 people each

these storms kill nearly 90 people each

these storms kill nearly 90 people each year in the US and cause millions of

year in the US and cause millions of

year in the US and cause millions of dollars worth of damage when a tornado

dollars worth of damage when a tornado

dollars worth of damage when a tornado is spotted experts advise going to a

is spotted experts advise going to a

is spotted experts advise going to a basement staying away from any windows

basement staying away from any windows

basement staying away from any windows or climbing into a first floor bathtub

or climbing into a first floor bathtub

or climbing into a first floor bathtub while most people run for safety when a

while most people run for safety when a

while most people run for safety when a twister appears some scientists actually

twister appears some scientists actually

twister appears some scientists actually raises to meet it these storm chasers

raises to meet it these storm chasers

raises to meet it these storm chasers hunt down tornadoes trying to get right

hunt down tornadoes trying to get right

hunt down tornadoes trying to get right in the twisters path they encounter

in the twisters path they encounter

in the twisters path they encounter incredible cloud movement torrential

incredible cloud movement torrential

incredible cloud movement torrential rain

rain

rain severe winds and hail lightning

breathtaking storm structures when they

breathtaking storm structures when they finally locate a twister they measure it

finally locate a twister they measure it

finally locate a twister they measure it using special tools these scientists

using special tools these scientists

using special tools these scientists hope to someday predict exactly when and

hope to someday predict exactly when and

hope to someday predict exactly when and where tornadoes will strike little can

where tornadoes will strike little can

where tornadoes will strike little can prevent the damage caused by tornadoes

prevent the damage caused by tornadoes

prevent the damage caused by tornadoes but better forecasting could save more

but better forecasting could save more

but better forecasting could save more lives giving survivors the chance to

lives giving survivors the chance to

lives giving survivors the chance to rebuild after living through one of the

rebuild after living through one of the

rebuild after living through one of the most violent storms on earth

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