A tornado is a viscous and possibly deadly occurrence in our weather that can happen at any time or any place around the world with almost no warning. I reside in the panhandle of Florida where we have hurricanes and tornadoes. Weather forecasters can give people enough warning that they can prepare and/or leave in the event of a hurricane, however a tornado is much different. Hurricanes present favorable weather conditions for tornadoes, as well as normal, everyday, rainy weather patterns do. I have lived through a direct hit by a tornado in 1981 where there no warnings or signs given. There were no thunderstorms, nor any “hair raising” activities of what weather could be lurking out there; we were having just a normal rainy day in the Florida panhandle. There were no weather statements or warnings that we have available to us today. The warning we received as we ate supper that Sunday afternoon was the horrific sound of a train. I was 11 years old and did not know or understand what was going on, but I instinctively knew something was terribly wrong, as did my parents. We took cover in a small bathroom in our house for what seemed like hours that was in fact just minutes. There were several injuries, homes destroyed around us and throughout our town, terrible destruction everywhere, and we survived. That was God answering prayers that were rapidly being said as we prayed for our lives. I can honestly say that pine straw can really stick in brick, dogs
On the afternoon of April 14, 1886, the city of Sauk Rapids in Minnesota was nearly wiped out after a tornado had struck the city. The whole city was left in complete devastation. Natural disasters have always interested me, specifically tornadoes. Something about tornadoes, whether it’d be how they form or how they acquire their power to cause great destruction, interests me to learn more about tornadoes. This led me to research about tornadoes in Minnesota. As I began surfing the internet about tornadoes that occurred in Minnesota, I came across the effects that each tornado had caused to the areas that it had struck. This is where I discovered the effects of one particular tornado called the Sauk Rapids Tornado. As I looked at the
Tornados are one of the most destructive and devastating natural forces on Earth. When a tornado is fully created, wind speeds can reach up to more than 300 mph (483 km/h). Most tornadoes that occur are between the Appalachians and Rocky Mountains, but tornados can happen where ever the conditions are right. 90% of tornadoes that happen in the United States, happens in the Central United States. Even though scientist have not yet understood how tornadoes are formed, they’ve developed a theory that consist of the process and conditions of which a tornado must have to form.
Hurricanes and tornadoes are both severe weather events that can potentially cause a great deal of damage to property. Both of these storms can threaten human life and in severe events with either a hurricane of a tornado there may well be a loss of life. They may be quite different in how they form and what they actually do but on the other hand those storms are both potentially devastating so they fall into the same category of potential severe weather danger. People who live in areas where hurricanes and tornadoes are known to appear during certain seasons of the year are always urged to be alert to weather warning systems. Those same residents know from experience to keep their radios tuned to weather emergency stations and they are in many cases prepared for the brunt of a storm by building basement shelters.
A tornado watch when issued is just a reminder that the weather does have the potential to produce a tornado and that caution should be used when traveling and doing outdoor activities. However, when a tornado warning is issued this is a warning to take cover in a cellar, basement or other safe places; away from windows and other places where one may be harmed.
Some tornado specifics can be interesting, some can be boring but these are the fascinating ones. There is a part of land in the Midwestern U.s where more than 1,000 tornadoes form. Most tornadoes only stay on the ground for less than five minutes and some tornadoes stand still while others can go on devastating speeds. The destruction tornadoes make is mostly from the debris that it picks up. More than half of tornadoes are weak and don’t cause many
In conclusions, tornados are nothing to mess around with. Treat it just as every other intense situation. There are many different ways to tell the difference in a tornado. Extreme weather is nothing to joke around, about or just treat it like a little shower of rain. It’s not, take shelter and be
Tornadoes can tear apart buildings, cars, forests, and can kill numerous people. In the U.S. alone, tornadoes cause 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries on average annually (“Tornado Facts And History”). A tornado swept through Yellowstone in the late 1980’s which left a path of destruction up and down a 10,000-foot mountain (“Tornado Facts”).
It is vital for the survival of mankind that we respect and understand the severity and danger of natural forces and weather conditions. Although advances have been made in the predictions and warning systems of the National Weather Service, or NWS, we must be vigilant in our efforts to always respect what is coming. It is also imperative that we learn from the mistakes we have made in the past and grow from them. One such piece of literature which can help to do this is "Storm Warnings: The story of the a Killer Tornado", by Nancy Mathis, which depicts an amazingly horrific incident where mankind was not prepared for what was coming. The following is understanding of the events that took place on May 3rd, 1999, which showcased an amazing, and terrible, spectacle of tornadoes in Oklahoma. Furthermore we will delve into what has changed since this to better our understanding of upcoming weather related dangers as well as planning for said forces of nature.
Back in 2012 we had a Derecho which was a damaging wind storm which some people called it a mini tornado in Waynesboro. I was outside at a racetrack when this happened and it seemed like time stood still. Everyone was rushing to their cars to go home and running around looking for somewhere to take cover. All I can remember was the adrenaline rush to get into a safe and sturdy place to wait out this storm. My mawmaw told me to get under the concession stand shelf, but all I wanted was to peek up and watch as this wind picked up every little thing it could. Trees were down, power was out, and destruction was left behind for some houses. The ending quote Crenshaw wrote, “I realized they watched from the window to see the terrible beauty of the storm…”( 2004, pg.206), made me relate back to that night because all I wanted to do was sit and watch as this storm
A tornadoes form when it is humid but the ground is wet and slower winds are by the ground as the fastest wind are higher in the sky. Because of this the wind starts to circle around when the slow wind moves up higher. Rain will fall and so will a funnel which is the tornado. The reason twister in Florida left extreme damage and many houses were being fixed or covered with tarp. Today they are cleaning up the damage or debris all over town. Other places tornadoes have touched down resonantly are Virginia and North Carolina the worst one was the one in Carolina taking three lives. To not be one of those three you must find shelter once you hear the word "WARNING." if you hear "watch" then prepare to go into "WARNING." Pleas remember that.
I feel that my community is adequately prepared for this type of disaster. Tornado sirens as a long with emergency alerts are tested to ensure they are properly working. Schools participate in multiple tornado drills preparing students if this event should ever happen. The media releases tornado watches along with warnings when weather conditions are appropriate. There is also a booth set up at the shocking County fair to provide information and educate individuals and families on proper steps when an emergency such as a tornado may arise (Emergency Management Agency, 2009). I feel there is a lot of information out there and many individuals are aware to take cover in a shelter, and take the siren seriously when not performed during a specific testing
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that spins while in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. This is what hit a little town called Greensburg Kansas, no bigger than 785 people. The tornado ripped through the town like a child goes through their present on Christmas morning. From this day on Greensburg will never be the same, dreams and hopes scattered everywhere. But, Greensburg came back and hit the tornado back by trying to become the “Greenest Town in America”.
A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes can produce massive destruction with wind speeds of 250 miles per hour or more. The typical tornado moves from southwest to northeast, but they have been known to move in any direction. The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 miles per hour but it may vary from stationary to 70 miles per hour. Although tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, they are found most frequently in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. In an average year, 800 tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries.
For instance, the author declares, “…residents of the United States have a lot of warning before a hurricane.”(Perry, page 49, paragraph 3) Although some may not be fortunate enough to have a warning, most U.S. citizens receive a warning of a hurricane days before it strikes. This is very unlike tornados, however, for people in areas where tornados often form never know where or if one will form. Scientists can identify types of conditions that can possibly form a tornado, but they cannot be one-hundred percent sure until it actually forms. This is one of the two major differences between hurricanes and tornados. The other is the cost and damage each natural disaster causes. According to Perry, “Each hurricane can cause billions of dollars in damage.” (Page 49, paragraph 1) Luckily, few hurricanes hit the U.S. yearly. On the other hand, tornados cause much less damage, yet many more hit the United States every year. All in all, hurricanes and tornados are significantly different when contrasting their damage and warning
The twister had just hit the ground and was gaining power and strength as it devoured everything in its path. We found ourselves even more frightened than we were just moments ago. The whirling "finger of God" was approaching us at a tremendous rate. The sound surrounding us was outrageous, it sounded something like a steam locomotive roaring towards us, whining and whistling with an awful high pitched roar. As the rumbling cloud of darkness approached us, we started to realize it's outstanding power. This event would be one that we wouldn't soon forget. The rain had almost completely stopped, but the wind was nearly blowing us off the ground as we huddled together under the overpass. We could hear the screeching sounds of car tires as they started sliding across the rain-soaked cement pavement. Electrical explosions lit up the darkened sky as the tornado ripped over power lines,