The sun heats the surface (land or water). The warm air starts to rise and meets the colder air above The air starts moving faster and overpowers slower winds. It continues to gain speed and size The wind is still not visible and has the shape of an horizontal cylinder. The bigger it gets, the heavier it becomes. It makes it shift into a vertical uphill drift It gains speed and size, generating more energy The winds create a self-feeding vortex that keeps regenerating itself The tornado is completely developed and follows the winds of the original thunderstorm. The “touchdown” phase happens when the tornado hits the ground and starts to cause most of the damage on land/water A Tornado is classified through the F-scale, developed by Dr. …show more content…
It is estimated that the damage to properties amounts to 400 million dollars each year. Humans have learned to cohabit with natural disasters such as tornadoes and here is how: Preparation The National Weather Forecast issues warning for counties, cities and neighborhoods Local radios/TV issue weather warnings (interrupting normal broadcasting) Local Communities issue weather warnings (outdoor sirens) Pick a secure room in the home where family members and pets can seek refuge (basement, tornado shelter, room with no windows on lower floors) Participate in periodical Tornado Drills Remove old and damaged tree branches Watch for tornado signs (dark clouds; wall cloud; debris cloud; significant hail front; funnel cloud; roaring noise) During a Tornado Head to the safest shelter (possibly underground). Stay away from windows and outer doors Avoid staying in larger structures Abandon mobile homes. If you can go to a shelter or hide in a heavier vehicle move away from your mobile home. If you are outdoors, seek shelter IMMEDIATELY. Get into a car and drive to the nearest …show more content…
What is the difference, however, between a Tornado Watch and a Tornado Warning? A Tornado Watch is a preemptive notice. It allows locals to plan for safety. A Tornado Warning is an imminent threat of tornado hitting the area (with a maximum of 13 minutes forewarning). It calls for immediate mobilization towards safety. After a Tornado Listen to the National Weather Forecast an local news for further instructions as well as information Stay away from damaged structures Beware of faulty and busted power grids gas leaks Document any structural damage to any of your properties (homes, belongings, vehicles) for future insurance claims Help with the cleaning of medications, toxic cleaning supplies, flammable liquids and anything that could become hazardous to rescuers Also known as the May 3rd tornado, the Bridge Creek – Moore Tornado witnessed a total of 74 tornadoes wrecking across two states in less than one day. The most tornadoes to hit simultaneously was 4. The strongest was classified highest in the Fujita Tornado Scale (F-5). It lasted little over one and a half hours and touched the ground just outside of Oklahoma City, wind wind speed at a record high 301