Rapidly rotating winds around a small area of intense low pressure.
Also known commonly as twisters or cyclones.
Diameter - 100 to 600 m average (300-2000 ft)
can range from a few meters to 1600 m (1 mile)
Movement - SW to NE
Ground Speed - 35-75 kph average (20-40 knots) (23-46 mph)
Duration - few minutes to hours
Path Length - 7 km average (4 miles)
Rotation - counterclockwise and clockwise (rare) in the Northern Hemisphere
This is a scale based on wind speeds used to categorize tornados
| Scale | Speed | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| F0 | 40-72 mph | light |
| F1 | 73-112 mph | moderate |
| F2 | 113-157 mph | considerable |
| F3 | 158-206 mph | severe |
| F4 | 207-260 mph | devastating |
| F5 | >261 | incredible |
1) Dust-Whirl Stage - swirling dust marks tornado circulation
2) Organizing Stage - tornado increases strength/intensity; funnel cloud extends downward
3) Mature Stage - damage is most severe; funnel diameter is at its maximum; funnel is nearly vertical
4) Shrinking Stage - decrease in funnel diameter; increased funnel tilt; narrowing of damage swath at surface
5) Decay Stage - funnel becomes rope-like, contorted, dissipates
The outline provided below is simply a list of the major topics covered in the video and is not intended to be a substitute for viewing the video.
Tornado Alley
Tornado Characteristics and Formation
Tornado Chasing
Tornado Experiments
Barneveld, Wisconsin
