Important Tornado Facts You Should Know
If you've ever experienced a tornado, you know the horrible devastation they can cause. Tornados should not be taken lightly as they can destroy everything in their path. Make sure you get yourself and your loved ones to safety upon hearing about an impending tornado. After all, they're called Mother Nature's most violent storm for a reason.
How Tornados Develop
Tornados are storms that develop as a thunderstorm gains strength. They can contain racing winds, torrential downpours of rain, lightning, and large hail. Tornados have been known to appear without the presence of lightning, but this rarely happens. Basically, they are violent rotating columns of air that can cause massive destruction. In order to create the perfect storm for the development of a tornado, cold air from the north meets up with warm air from the south.
Tornado Clouds
Tornados are funnel shaped and they extend from the clouds down to the ground. They are just about always accompanied by a huge cloud of debris that they have picked up since forming on the ground. Tornados have been known to pick up cars, buses, and trucks, and even rip homes from their foundation like they were never there. Tornados form in many different sizes. While they can form in several shapes, they are usually always in the shape of a funnel. Tornados can stay on the ground or hop around, touching down and then lifting back up into the sky. They can stretch more than a mile wide and travel for miles at a time. Some have been known to travel up to 50 miles. The strongest tornados have winds in excess of over 300 miles per hour.
Tornado Danger
Tornados cause approximately 70 deaths per year in the United States alone and more than 2,000 injuries. Most of the fatalities occur at night when people are in their beds sleeping and don't know a tornado storm is approaching.
Tornado Locations
Tornados typically happen in the U.S., but some have formed in other parts of the world such as Canada. They can form any time of the year, but are more common during the warmer months of the year. Every city in the United States is at risk of having a tornado during some time of the year, but they most commonly strike the middle of the U.S., also known as Tornado Alley.
When hearing the news of an oncoming tornado watch or warning, a person should take all precautions possible. Staying indoors to wait out the storm is best. Places to seek shelter include a tornado shelter, a basement, or a room with no windows. If you are outdoors when a tornado approaches, never stay in your car. A tornado can easily pick up a car with you in it. The best place to hide outdoors is in a low area like a ditch, taking care to cover yourself so you aren't injured by flying debris.
The more educated you are about tornado facts, the safer you'll be if you're ever caught in one of these monstrous storms.
