What Everyone Should Know About Tornadoes

According to the "Glossary of Meteorology", a tornado is "a violently rotating column of air, pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud." In many parts of the country, these terrifying bursts of air are referred to as "twisters."

For most people, their interest lies not in what causes a tornado, but in staying away from one. This can be difficult in the part of country known as "tornado alley", which has traditionally been considered an area of the United States that stretches from North Dakota down through Texas and from eastern Colorado and Wyoming over to Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Many scientists now argue that there are many tornado alleys scattered among various areas where there have been a large number of F4 or F5 tornadoes or a large amount of tornadoes in general. Recently, the four most prominent tornado alleys have been identified as south-central Mississippi, east central to northeast Oklahoma, southeast Nebraska and the area from western Tennessee to northeast Mississippi and northern Alabama.

The formation of a tornado is complicated and there is much that is still unknown about these killer storms are spawned. Basically, warm moist air rises up and meets colder, dryer air and creating a strong updraft. The air mass may also meet winds of varying speeds. If conditions are right, the air will begin spinning, producing a tornado.

The damage done by a tornado (and other winds), was previously measured by the Fujita scale, which in theory was supposed to relate damage to wind speed. This scale is no longer used and has been replaced by the Enhanced F-scale, which went into effect on February 1, 2007. The Enhanced F-scale is a more precise method of measuring distance using factors such as types of buildings, building materials and construction methods.

Ideas for weakening or destroying tornadoes before they can do their damage have been proposed, but they are impractical and could possibly do more damage to lives and property than the tornado itself.

Being armed with knowledge when a tornado heads your way is the best way to prevent personal injury. The first thing you need to know is the difference between a Tornado "Watch" and a Tornado "Warning". If your area is under a tornado watch it means that conditions are favorable for the possible formation of a tornado, however, if a tornado warning is issued, you should seek shelter immediately because a tornado has been spotted in the area or radar has indicated a rotation in a thunderstorm that could spawn a tornado.

Some basic tips for remaining safe during a tornado are highlighted below:

• Have a family plan at your home and know where to take shelter immediately in the event of a tornado. If you have a basement, go there. If not, go to an interior room on the lowest floor of your home or under a stairwell.
• Avoid windows. Flying debris is your biggest enemy during a tornado, so have protective coverings near shelter area.
• If you live in a mobile home, GET OUT! You will actually be safer outside. If you can get to a sturdy building or public shelter, go, if not, lie flat on the ground away from your home.
• Cars and trucks are easily tossed about by tornadoes. If the tornado is visible and far enough away you can try driving at right angles to the tornado to elude the storm. If this is not possible, park your vehicle well of the side of the road and go to flat ground or a ditch away from cars and lie down with your arms covering your head.

While most communities where tornadoes are common have siren warning systems, not every community does and you cannot always count on sirens to warn you of an impending tornado. Tornadoes can happen at any time and any place where there is severe weather. The best thing to do when dealing with tornado safety is to take a tip from the Boy Scouts and "Be Prepared."