Description of a Tornado

Tornadoes are revolving storms which turn counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. They have a small diameter and a rapidly rising column of air at the center. They are also barometric depressions that resemble tropical cyclones. However, they are much smaller, have a shorter life, and have much steeper gradients. The tornado begins when a funnel-shaped cloud develops in a low, heavy Cumulonimbus and extends toward the earth. This funnel rises and falls, turning in various directions. At the point at which it reaches the earth, there is almost total destruction accompanied by a deafening roar and semi-darkness. Where it fails to reach the earth, there is very little damage. Winds near the center are estimated at 200 to 500 miles per hour, and the updraft at the

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India. This formation seems to suggest that the influences of mountains on the air currents and the distributions of temperature and moisture along the vertical are important. However, little is known about the mechanisms that produce tornadoes. There are actually three damaging forces active in a tornado. The first is the wind itself, which wrecks buildings and tears down trees. The pressure of a tornado wind head on against a wall is from 160 pounds per square foot to 1,000 pounds per square foot. Second, there is an explosive effect within buildings. Very few measurements have ever recorded pressures within the funnel of the tornado, but the indication is that pressure drops ranging from one inch to five inches of mercury may be expected. This would leave an instantaneous net excess within a building of 70 pounds to 400 pounds per square foot. Third, the lifting effect of the violent updraft can raise heavy objects and carry them considerable distances before hurling them back to earth. Every state in the United States has experienced at least one tornado within recorded history. The greatest frequency in a recent 35-year period was in Iowa, with an average of 2.8 tornadoes per year per 10,000 square miles. Texas
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Approximate Word count = 1600
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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