Where do tornadoes occur?
Tornadoes can occur anywhere in the world. There are more tornadoes in the United States than in any other country. There is even a place in the U.S. nicknamed Tornado Alley which includes northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.
Tornadoes usually occur in spring and summer and are usually accompanied by thunderstorms.
What colour are tornadoes?
Tornadoes can come in many colours. If they do not pick up any dust or debris they can look almost invisible. Other times they can look grey, white, black, blue, red or even green.
Tornado categories
Tornadoes are categorised into 5 scales called the 'Fujita Scale'.
The higher the scale, the faster the speed of the wind.
F0: Up to 85 mph (weak tornadoes)
F1: Up to 110 mph (weak tornadoes)
F2: Up to 135 mph (strong tornadoes)
F3: Up to 165 mph (strong tornadoes)
F4: Up to 200 mph (violent tornadoes)
F5: Over 200 mph (violent tornadoes)
Tornado news
The news forecast lets us know if there is a tornado on the way and if we need to be careful or not.
If weather scientists say there is a tornado watch, it means a tornado could form.
If weather scientists say there is a tornado warning it means a tornado has been seen or signs of a tornado have been seen.
If weather scientists say there is a tornado emergency it means a powerful tornado is about to hit an area and is expected to cause death.
How to keep safe in a tornado
If you ever get caught somewhere where a tornado is about to strike, here are some tips you can remember to keep safe:
Go to the lowest floor of the building such as a basement and stay close to the centre of the building away from windows.
Hold on to a piece of strong furniture or hide inside a closet, under a table or inside a bathroom.
If you are in school, do not go to the gymnasium or any other place with a high ceiling. Squat near the wall and cover your head with your hands.
Did you know?
- There are some people that actually like to get close to tornadoes! They are called storm chasers. They often drive towards a tornado to take photographs or collect scientific data. They risk their lives in the process.
- Most tornadoes rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
