NWS CR >> WFO Louisville >> Preparedness >> Tornadoes: Nature's Most
Violent Storms
What is a Tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that
is in contact with the ground. Tornadoes take different forms, some
are large and ominous, while others are relatively small and may be
difficult to see. Waterspouts are weak tornadoes that occur over
water.
In some areas, especially along the Front Range of the Rocky
Mountains and in the High Plains, tornadoes from during the early
stage of rapidly developing thunderstorms and often appear nearly
transparent until dust and debris are picked up by the winds.
Tornadoes are capable of incredible destruction!
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Hesston, Kansas tornado (Dave Williams, Wichita Eagle) |
Tornado near Prospect Valley, Colorado (Greg Stumpf) |
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Weak tornado near Boise City, Oklahoma (Greg Stumpf) |
Waterspout taken in the Florida Keys, September 10, 1969 (Dr.
Joseph Golden, NOAA) |
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Greenwich Heights Subdivision northeast
of McConnell AFB illustrating the damage from the violent
Wichita/Andover tornado of April 26, 1991
(John Sokich, NWS)
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'Tornadoes: Nature's Most Violent Storms' was developed by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Weather
Service (NWS) in cooperation with the American Red Cross and the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is designed to assist in
heightening public awareness and understanding the dangers associated with
tornadoes. The package provides an introduction to tornadoes and their
impact, discusses tornado development and occurrence, and describes safety
information for homes, schools, places of work, and outdoors. In addition,
basic environmental clues are presented.
Individual use of the pictures within these presentation must have prior
approval from the credited source. |
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