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Tornadoes

QuestionAnswer
What is a tornado? A rapidly rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.
What direction do strong tornadoes usually travel? Southwest → Northeast
What conditions are needed for severe storms to form? Wind shear, high moisture, uplift, and instability
Why does the U.S. get so many tornadoes? Flat land allows different air masses to collide easily
What are the 3 scales of tornado formation? Regional, supercell, and vortex scale
What happens at the regional scale? Different air masses collide and create spinning air
Name the 3 key air masses involved. Warm, moist air (low altitude) Cold air (mid-altitude) Jet stream (high altitude)
What starts the rotation? Wind shear (winds changing speed/direction with height)
What is a supercell thunderstorm? A large, rotating thunderstorm with a strong updraft.
What are the 4 key features of a supercell? Cumulonimbus cloud with anvil Mesocyclone (rotating updraft) Wall cloud Funnel cloud / tornado
What is a cumulonimbus cloud with an anvil? A tall storm cloud that spreads out at the top
What is a mesocyclone? A rotating updraft inside the storm
What is a wall cloud? A lowered cloud under the storm where rotation is strongest
What is a funnel cloud? A spinning column of air extending downward from the cloud
When does a funnel cloud become a tornado? When it touches the ground
What is at the TOP of a supercell? Anvil-shaped cumulonimbus cloud
What is in the MIDDLE of the storm? Mesocyclone (rotating updraft).
What is BELOW the mesocyclone? Wall cloud
What extends DOWN from the wall cloud? Funnel cloud → tornado
Why is the storm tilted? Wind shear tilts it so rain doesn’t block the updraft
What is a hook echo? A hook-shaped radar pattern showing where a tornado may form.
What are the steps of tornado formation? Wind shear creates rotation Updraft tilts it vertically Mesocyclone forms Wall cloud develops Funnel cloud forms → tornado
Where is Tornado Alley? Central U.S. (Great Plains)
Why is Tornado Alley so active? Air masses collide + flat land + jet stream
What scale measures tornado strength? Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale.
What is the range of the EF Scale? EF-0 (weak) to EF-5 (strong
What should you do if you hear a tornado warning? Seek shelter immediately
What percent of lightning is cloud-to-cloud? About 80%
What percent is cloud-to-ground? About 20%
What causes lightning? Separation of positive and negative charges in a cloud
What is a stepped leader? A downward-moving path of negative charge
What produces the bright flash? he return stroke (flow of electrons)
What causes thunder? Rapid heating and expansion of air from lightning
Created by: user-2027283
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