Tornadoes
Tornadoes
Tornadoes (pronunciation: /tɔːrˈneɪdoʊz/) are a rapidly rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. The strongest tornadoes can produce winds of over 300 miles per hour.
Etymology
The word "tornado" is derived from the Spanish word "tronada," which means "thunderstorm." This term was later altered to "tornado," which the English then adopted.
Related Terms
- Supercell: A deep, persistently rotating updraft. Supercells are one of the few types of clouds that typically spawn tornadoes.
- Mesocyclone: A deep, persistently rotating updraft part of a Supercell.
- Funnel Cloud: A funnel-shaped cloud of condensed water droplets, associated with a rotating column of wind and extending from the base of a cloud but not reaching the ground or a water surface.
- Tornado Alley: A colloquial term for the area of the United States where tornadoes are most frequent.
- Fujita Scale: A scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tornadoes
- Wikipedia's article - Tornadoes
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