by Stella Lee

Table of Contents

What are Tornadoes? . . . 3

How to Stay Safe in a Tornado . . . 4

How do Tornadoes Form? . . . 6

The Scale to Measure . . . 8

Tornado Speed . . . 10

Where/What Were the Biggest Tornadoes? . . . 12

Tornado Damage . . . 14

*More*

Extended: How to Stay Safe in a Tornado . . . 16

Credits . . . 17

Glossary . . . 18

Tornado Photos . . . 19

About the Author . . . 20                                                          

What are Tornadoes?

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air. They are usually formed from thunderstorms, which are in contact with the ground.

This is a tornado.

How to Stay Safe in a Tornado

If a tornado is coming, you can stay safe in a basement. Another way to stay safe if you are outside is to go to a ditch or low lying ground and lie flat in it. A ditch is a narrow channel dug in the ground.

    If you live in an area where a lot of tornadoes occur, you should talk with your family about keeping a kit in case of a power outage and your home is destroyed. Some things you should have in your kit are:

- Water to last at least three days.

- Food to last at least three days.

- A flashlight with batteries and extra batteries.

This is a ditch.

Make sure to have a flashlight

with your emergency kit!

How do Tornadoes Form?

Tornadoes are born from violent thunderstorms, when warm and cold air masses crash. When they collide, warm air rises above the cold air. The cold air cools down, causing water vapor to turn into water droplets. If there are enough droplets, thunderstorm clouds form. Winds spin air masses into funnel clouds.

A storm makes its way across a large plain.

A diagram of a tornado.

The Scale to Measure

    Do you know the Enhanced Fuji scale or EF scale?

    Here's the scale:

    EF0: 65 - 85 mph. Light damage to roofs and trees.

    EF1: 86 - 110 mph. Moderate damage, including broken windows and overturned mobile homes.

    EF2: 111 - 135 mph. Considerable damage to houses and large buildings.

    EF3: 136 - 165 mph. Severe damage to houses and large buildings.

    EF4: 166 - 200 mph. Devastating damage, including the destruction of homes.

    EF5: 200 mph. Total or near total destruction, including the damage of entire neighborhoods and towns.

The result of tornado damage in Kentucky.

Tornado Speed

How fast are tornadoes? Tornado average speed ranges from 10 - 20 miles per hour. Also, the wind inside a tornado ranges from 100 - 500 miles per hour. Scientists use the Fuji Scale (for more, go to page 8) to measure speed and damage from EF0 to EF5.

The enhanced Fuji (or Fujita) scale.

Illustrated tornado diagram.

Where/What Were the Biggest Tornadoes?

The world's worst tornado was in Bangladesh on April 16, 1989. It killed approximately 1,300 people in under one hour.

    The Tri State tornado was the worst tornado in America. It killed approximately 700 people. The tornado in Oklahoma caused about 1 billion dollars in damage!