What is a  tornado?

One of nature's most destructive weather phenomena, a tornado is a violently rotating column of air that stretches from a cloud to the earth's surface. Tornadoes whirl and spin like a top and have the power to destroy anything that gets in their way.

How does Tornado form ?

Tornado is like a whirlpool of wind that develops from a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms develop when warm, moist air rises and cools. This creates clouds. Water vapor condenses and releases heat. This release of heat creates the energy in a thunderstorm. Under certain conditions, when the air moving up into the cloud is very strong, a tornado can develop. The whirling winds are like a spinning column of air that comes down from the thundercloud. The winds can be as strong as 300 miles per hour. When the tornado reaches the ground, the whirling winds can cause a great deal of damage.  The tornado on the ground follows the same path as the thundercloud.  The larger tornadoes can travel fast and can last for hours.

What kind of damage can Tornado's cause to the environment?

A tornado can take out houses, pull up trees, take down power lines, throw vehicles around like a stick, tornadoes can kill and are very dangerous!

How can we protect ourselves from a
tornado?

• Seek shelter in the basement. If there is no basement, go to an inner hallway, a smaller inner room, or a closet. Keep away from all windows.
• Cushion yourself with a mattress, but do not use one to cover yourself. Do cover your head and eyes with a blanket or jacket to protect against flying debris and broken glass. Don't waste time moving mattresses around.
• Multiple tornadoes can emerge from the same storm, so do not go out until the storm has passed.
• Do not leave a building to attempt to "escape" a tornado.