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How Do Tornadoes Form

Tornadoes form when wind variations with height support rotation in thunderstorm updrafts. Conditions are ripe for tornadoes when the air becomes unstable with winds blowing in different directions or speeds at different altitudes. For a tornado to form, spinning air near the ground is needed, which happens when gusts of warm and cool air rise and sink across the land. Inside the thundercloud, varying air currents can cause the rising air to spin vertically and descend as a tornado. Most tornadoes form during supercell thunderstorms under certain wind and instability conditions.

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67 views3 pages

How Do Tornadoes Form

Tornadoes form when wind variations with height support rotation in thunderstorm updrafts. Conditions are ripe for tornadoes when the air becomes unstable with winds blowing in different directions or speeds at different altitudes. For a tornado to form, spinning air near the ground is needed, which happens when gusts of warm and cool air rise and sink across the land. Inside the thundercloud, varying air currents can cause the rising air to spin vertically and descend as a tornado. Most tornadoes form during supercell thunderstorms under certain wind and instability conditions.

Uploaded by

Jesus Armada
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© © All Rights Reserved
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How do tornadoes form?

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air, extending from a thunderstorm, which

are in contact with the ground. Tornadoes develop when wind variations with height support

rotation in the updraft. As we can imagine, tornadoes come in different sizes, many as narrow

rope-like swirls, others as wide funnels.

Certain conditions make tornadoes more likely. So, in that way, they are somewhat

predictable. But no one ever knows when, where, how intense, and how many tornadoes a

thunderstorm will create. (Intro) Slide 1

Conditions are ripe for tornadoes when the air becomes very unstable, with winds at

different altitudes blowing in different directions or at different speeds—a condition called wind

shear. The first result is a large thunderstorm. (Step 1) Slide 2

For a tornado to form, there needs to be spinning air near the ground. This happens when

air in the storm sinks to the ground and spreads out across it in gusts. Gusts of warmer air rise

and gusts of cooler air sink as they blow across the land. If there are enough rising and sinking

gusts, the air near the ground starts spinning. (Step 2) Slide 3

Inside the huge thundercloud, warm and humid air is rising, while cool air is falling,

along with rain or hail. All these conditions can result in rolling, spinning air currents inside the
cloud. Basically, winds moving in different speeds and directions at different altitudes cause the

rising air to start spinning. (Step 3) Slide 4

Although this spinning column of air starts out horizontal, it can easily go vertical and

drop down out of the cloud. The rotating air moves horizontally across the ground, and can be

tilted vertically by the force of the rising, rotating air. This allows a tornado to form. (Step 4)

Slide 5

Most tornadoes form during supercell thunderstorms, but not all supercell thunderstorms

produce tornadoes. Usually, the rotating air near the ground does not rotate fast enough for a

tornado to form. If the rotating air near the ground is very cold, it will spread away from the

storm along the ground and slow down like a figure skater with extended arms, and a tornado

will not form. (Additional info) Slide 6

The winds inside the spinning column of some tornadoes are the fastest of any on Earth.

They have been clocked at over 300 miles per hour! Sometimes the spinning column of air lifts

off the ground, then touches down again some distance along its path. (Additional info) Slide 6

Tornadoes are one of the most dangerous weather phenomena, due to the high-speed

wind involved, in addition to the ongoing storm. If a powerful thunderstorm is formed, there is

usually a potential tornado risk, especially during transitional seasons, such as spring and fall. In

these cases, shelter is the best option (or centered rooms without windows), in order to avoid

flying glasses and debris. (Conclusion) Slide 7


Works Cited

US Department of Commerce, NOAA. “About Tornadoes.” National Weather Service, 15 Aug.


2018, www.weather.gov/ffc/torntext#:~:text=Tornadoes%20are%20violently%20rotating
%20columns,swirls%2C%20others%20as%20wide%20funnels.

“How Do Tornadoes Form?” NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather,


scijinks.gov/tornado/#:~:text=Inside%20thunderclouds%2C%20warm%2C%20humid
%20air,cloud%2D%2Dbecoming%20a%20tornado. Accessed 28 July 2023.

Education, UCAR Center for Science. “Center for Science Education.” How Tornadoes Form |
Center for Science Education, scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/storms/how-tornadoes-form.
Accessed 28 July 2023.

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