9781422269565

CHAPTER

WHAT MAKES A TORNADO Have you ever been in a tornado? It was a scary experience, wasn’t it? What makes a tornado? For a tornado to form, certain atmospheric conditions must be present and come together to create these powerful storms. First, there must be instability in the atmosphere. This instability is usually caused by temperature and moisture differences at different altitudes . Wind shear is also needed; this means a change in wind speed and direction at various heights in the clouds. If warm, moist air is present, these combined conditions may lead to the formation of a tornado, a powerful and destructive rotating column of air. Supercell Tornadoes Tornadoes usually occur during severe thunderstorms, particularly supercell thunderstorms. Supercells are large, persistent, and rotating thunderstorms that have the potential to produce tornadoes. Meteorologists still do not completely

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