Page 154 - Super Earth Encyclopedia

DEADLY

TWISTER

TORNADO

A supercell storm can trigger the most terrifying of all
weather events—a tornado. This violent, swirling funnel
of air extends from the base of a supercell to the ground.
It focuses most of the storm’s energy in one small area,
generating incredibly strong winds. These spin around a
center of extremely low air pressure that acts like a giant
vacuum hose, sucking up dust and debris and hurling it
high in the air. Some tornadoes are powerful enough to
rip houses apart, toss heavy trucks upside down, and
even derail trains. Anyone caught in the path of such
a storm would be very lucky to survive.

TERROR TRAIL

Tornadoes only affect small
areas as they travel across the
country, but they leave long trails
of destruction in their wake, as
seen here in Illinois in 2013.
Houses that stood in the path
of the tornado were completely
destroyed, whereas areas on
either side of the storm track
remained untouched.

STATS AND FACTS

SPINNING POWER TORNADO ALLEY
EXTREME WEATHER Asia, New Zealand, WIND SPEED the debris several 400 Wind speeds in a
Tornadoes occur
The spinning winds
Every year, about
throughout the
1,200 tornadoes hit
suck up anything in
world, including
their path and drop
the US, mostly in
an area known as
miles away.
Tornado Alley.
and South America,
but they are most
frequent in the
tornado can reach more
prairie states of the
than 310 mph (500 km/h).
American midwest.
500
km/h
Tornadoes that form
over water are called
152 waterspouts. mph 250 310
US_152-153_Tornado.indd 152 01/03/17 1:38 pm