Tornado Terrors
Be Informed & Save A Life
What Are The Chances Of You Experiencing A Tornado Where You Live?
Tornadoes are more likely in the U.S than any other country. Although this is true, they do occur elsewhere in the world including Australia, Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Even New Zealand reports about 20 tornadoes each year. Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Illinois, Mississippi, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana experience the most tornadoes every year in the U.S. Approximately 1,200 tornadoes occur each year in the United States (this is a rough estimate). Tornado Alley is an area in the mid-western part of the United States where tornadoes are most likely to occur. They're common in these areas because these areas are mainly flat plains and have powerful weather engines above them. During the summer and spring, air will be warm, this causes a cap which creates a very unstable condition. When this is combined with cool air, thunderstorms develop quickly, creating a perfect environment for a tornado.
What is a Tornado and How Are They Formed?
A tornado is an intensely rotating funnel of air. It reaches from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground. Although scientists are not completely sure how tornadoes are formed there are predictions as to how the rotation occurs. When winds at two different altitudes blow at two different speeds a wind shear is created. An updraft tightens and speeds up the column of air, creating a funnel cloud. Rain and hail ultimately cause it to fall downwards and eventually, this cloud touches the ground.
Deadly Tornadoes
695 Lives Lost
The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 was devastating. For three and a half hours the tornado followed a straight path through Missouri, southern Illinois and Indiana. Along with the shocking number of deaths, 2,000 people were injured and approximately $18 million dollars (of US dollars in 1925) were spent repairing the damage.
Beecher Tornado
On the evening of June 3rd, 1953 a tornado formed in Flint, Michigan. This tornado caused panic for people who were at a drive in movie. They rushed to flee the show. This panic resulted in many fatal car accidents. 116 people lost their lives and 844 were injured.
Tornado Technology
Many people are familiar with storm chasers and the risks they take but they wouldn't be able to successfully collect the data they need to save lives without their advanced technology. For example, storm chasing vehicles may have an instrument that measures pressure and humidity. This information can broaden our knowledge on tornadoes and make it easier for us to understand tornadoes, know when to expect to tornadoes, and know how to properly react when in an emergency situation.
What They Do
Tornadoes can be very devastating. The damage caused from these tornadoes can be overwhelming. Many people are left homeless, without any of their belongings. The Red Cross offers relief for people in emergency situations. They offer, food, shelter, warmth and comfort.
$$$$
Economic Impact
Tornadoes commonly cause immense amounts of damage. The repairing of this damage can be very expensive. The most expensive tornado in the U.S occurred in 2011 on the twenty second of May in Joplin, MO. The approximate cost for this disaster was $2,907,000,000. Damages this severe can greatly impact a community economically.
Work Cited
"How Do Tornadoes Form?" Dangerous Weather. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
"NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory." NSSL: Severe Weather 101: Tornadoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
"The 10 Costliest U.S. Tornadoes since 1950." 10 Costliest U.S. Tornadoes. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
Oct. 2013.
"Tornado Expert Ranks Top Tornado States." The Weather Channel. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct.
2013.
"Tornado Instruments." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
"Violent Tornado Alley." Wendy Piwnicki. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
By: Gillian Steininger