11 Facts About Tornadoes

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1. A tornado is as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 mph.^[Palm Beach County. "Tornado Facts." Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.pbcgov.com/dem/sections/planning/business/tornado/facts.htm.]
2. Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.^[Missouri State. "Tornadoes." Missouri State Emergency Management Agency. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://sema.dps.mo.gov/plan_and_prepare/tornadoes.asp.]
3. Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes once on land. Its super important to be prepared for a tornado, so make sure you have a disaster plan for your pets too! Sign up for Save Our Pets.^[Ready.gov. "Tornadoes." Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.]
4. Rotating thunderstorms are the best predictors of tornado activity.They are well defined thunderstorms on radar that may include hail, severe winds, lightning, or flash floods.^[Edwards, SPC, Roger. "The Online Tornado FAQ." Storm Predication Center. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/.]
5. Tornadoes can occur when a warm front meets a cold front, forming a thunderstorm, which then can spawn 1 or more “twisters."^[Boyle, Alan, and John Roach. "Curse or coincidence? Scientists study Tornado Alley's past and future." NBC News. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/20/18382215-curse-or-coincidence-scientists-study-tornado-alleys-past-and-future?chromedomain=usnews.]
6. Most twisters or cyclones travel from southwest to northeast and can move in the opposite direction for short periods of time. A tornado can even backtrack if it is hit by winds from the eye of the thunderstorm.^[Weather Underground, Inc. "About Tornadoes." Weather Forecast & Reports. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.wunderground.com/resources/education/tornadoFAQ.asp.]
7. Funnel clouds usually last less than 10 minutes before dissipating, and many only last several seconds. On rare occasion, cyclones can last for over an hour.^[Edwards, SPC, Roger. "The Online Tornado FAQ." Storm Predication Center. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/.]
8. A tornado may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms within the funnel.^[Ready.gov. "Tornadoes." Accessed February 21, 2014. http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.]
9. Twisters strike predominantly along Tornado Alley — a flat stretch of land from western Texas to North Dakota. This region is a hotspot for tornadoes because the dry polar air from Canada meets the warm moist tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico.^[LiveScience. "12 Twisted Tornado Facts." LiveScience. Accessed February 20, 2014, http://www.livescience.com/3589-12-twisted-tornado-facts.html.]
10. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.^[State of Louisiana . "What to do in a Tornado." Governor's Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://gohsep.la.gov/factsheets/whattodoinatornado.htm.]
11. In the southern states, peak tornado occurrence is March through May, while peak months in the northernmost states are late June through August.^[Livingston, Ian. "Monthly tornado averages by state and region." United States Tornadoes. Accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/03/19/monthly-tornado-averages-by-state-and-region/.]