Tornadoes fascinate many people. We see them on television through documentaries or on the news, and we often dream of experiencing one of these natural phenomena in person. However, it seems that most of the time we'll have to travel to the United States to witness the most impressive ones. If this isn't possible for any reason, don't worry: below we share videos of 5 awesome F5 tornado formations that will surely leave you breathless.
We begin, of course, with the "birth" of the tornado. These meteorological phenomena are the result of the interaction of two completely opposite air masses; in the lower layers, the air tends to be warm, while in the upper layers, it is cold. This difference causes the air currents to move in an upward spiral, which gives rise to the formation of the tornado. In this time-lapse video by Brad Hannon, you can see, how the supercell is formed, the "progenitor" of this meteorological phenomenon. This impressive video was recorded on June 3, 2003, in Booker, Texas.
Do you think we should get a little closer? Another time, the well-known storm chasers from the series Storm chasers from the Discovery Channel took a risky approach to a tornado. In this case, winds reached over 220 km/h. This impressive video was recorded on June 17, 2009, in Aurora, USA. If you want to know more about how they prepare for these events, you might be interested in reading about the storm chasers.
I'll ask you a question: what would you do if a tornado was coming your way? The most common reaction would be to run away, but if you're passionate about these types of natural phenomena, you should know that you should not get closer than 2 km of the tornado. Any distance less than that can put your life in danger. Despite this, the author of the following video, Jeff Lechus, and his companions managed to record an impressive tornado on May 20, 2013, in Moore, Oklahoma. This underscores the importance of learning about how to survive a tornado.
In the video, you can hear someone shouting, "Oh my God," as they watch the tornado sweep a house away. This moment is a reminder of the incredible force of nature and the dangers of approaching a tornado.
And we close this series of videos with a spectacular recording where you can see the formation of a tornado, from the moment it begins to leave the supercell until it touches ground and finally dissolves.
Impressive, right? Now, let's take a moment to delve into the tornado phenomenon, its formation and characteristics. To better understand tornadoes, it's important to consider some key meteorological factors and learn about their classification and the risks they entail.
How a tornado form?
tornadoes are rotating air columns These clouds are connected at the top to a cumulonimbus-type thundercloud and at the bottom to the Earth's surface. Their formation requires certain atmospheric conditions. Essentially, rising warm, moist air can begin to spin when hit by winds blowing in different directions. For a tornado to form, the air must rotate near the ground, which happens when, in a thunderstorm, the air sinks to the ground and spreads out in gusts.
Warm air updrafts tend to rise, while cold air descends, creating a series of currents that lead to rotation. The air closest to the ground accelerates as it moves toward the axis of rotation, forming the characteristic funnel-like structure of a tornado. As an analogy, this is similar to what happens when a figure skater spins: The more the arms are closed, the faster they spinThis is known in physics as conservation of angular momentum.
Classic tornadoes form in the supercells Supercells, which are huge, rotating storms that have a powerful appearance in the sky. These supercells are capable of producing the most intense and dangerous tornadoes known to man, and are often associated with most devastating tornadoes in history.
The scale of tornadoes
Most tornadoes move at speeds between 65 and 180 km/h (XNUMX and XNUMX mph), although under the right conditions they can be even faster. Tornadoes are classified according to the damage they cause. Enhanced Fujita scaleFor example, an EF0 tornado typically reaches speeds of 105–137 km/h and can cause minor damage, while the most intense EF5 tornadoes can exceed speeds of 322 km/h, razing homes to their foundations and causing significant damage to concrete structures.
To illustrate the impact of tornadoes, the most devastating in history, which occurred in Bangladesh on April 26, 1989, caused the death of approximately 1.300 people and left 80.000 people homeless. This tornado devastated more than 150 square kilometers, and its winds are estimated to have reached speeds of between 338 and 418 km/h. This type of disaster highlights the importance of knowing the facts about tornadoes.
Tornadoes over water?
In addition to land tornadoes, there are also tornadoes that form over the sea, known as waterspouts or waterspoutsAlthough they don't have land at their base, the formation process is the same as that of terrestrial tornadoes. Tornadoes can often be devastating when they touch down or cross populated areas.
What are tornado outbreaks?
The waves of tornadoes They occur when multiple tornadoes form in a single day in a given region. For a tornado outbreak to be considered a tornado outbreak, between six and ten tornadoes must form in the same area. An example of this occurred on April 27, 2011, when 207 tornadoes were recorded in the southeastern United States in a single day.
The largest documented tornado occurred in El Reno, Oklahoma, in May 2011, and was an EF5 tornado, reaching a diameter of 4.184 meters and winds exceeding 470 km/h.
Interesting facts about tornadoes
- Color of tornadoes: Although tornadoes may appear visible, they are actually invisible. The funnel shape we see is due to the fact that they carry dust and moisture particles in their wake.
- Duration: Tornadoes can last from a few seconds to more than an hour, and can travel considerable distances, sometimes exceeding tens of kilometers.
- Meteorological conditions: Tornadoes require specific meteorological conditions, especially intense thermal contrasts and winds blowing in different directions, to form.
The fascination with tornadoes lies not only in their terrifying beauty but also in their devastating power. These phenomena are reminders of the power of nature and the importance of disaster preparedness. With the advancement of meteorology and warning systems, it is now possible to better predict and study these spectacular atmospheric phenomena.
