preview

Compare And Contrast Hurricanes And Tornadoes

Decent Essays
Open Document

Oh no, my car's blown away! It's a tornado within a hurricane, so you'll need to find some serious shelter. Tornadoes and hurricanes are extremely dangerous, and I don't think it takes a genius to figure that out. There are many ways that these two storms are alike. There are also many ways they can be the polar opposites of each other. The main things that make hurricanes and tornadoes similar, but it's mainly the way they form, how much damage they can cause, and where they can occur.

To start, tornadoes and hurricanes are both monstrously windy. According to, Tornadoes 101," tornadoes are formed when warm air, and cool air collide. The warm air comes from the south, and the cool air comes from the north. On the other hand, "Basic Facts About Hurricanes," states that hurricanes form on the coast of Africa, and then travels across the Atlantic Ocean. They form by the equator and are powered by the evaporation of warm, tropical water. However, hurricanes and tornadoes are both cyclonic, therefore they form as such. For hurricanes, the winds rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, and rotate clockwise in the southern hemisphere. …show more content…

In, "What You Should Know About Tornadoes," tornadoes can have wind speeds of up to a whopping 300 miles per hour! That's strong enough to lift a house off of its foundations! According to, "Basic Facts About Hurricanes," hurricanes can only have wind speeds of around 150 miles per hour. The strongest of these will always be around the eye. "Hurricanes and Tornadoes in the U.S." Exclaims that hurricanes cost an estimated 15 billion dollars in annual damage, and tornadoes only cause 500 million dollars in annual damage. This is because hurricanes not only cause wind damage, but they also pack a punch with water damage as well. However, tornadoes only cause wind

Get Access