Changes

A '''tornado''' is a violent rotating column of [[air]] extending from a [[thunderstorm]] to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with [[wind]] speeds of up to 400 mph. They can destroy large [[architecture]], uproot [[tree]]s and hurl [[car]]s hundreds of yards. They can also drive straw into trees. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide to 50 miles long. In an average year, 1000 tornadoes are reported nationwide.

A '''tornado''' is a violent rotating column of [[air]] extending from a [[thunderstorm]] to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with [[wind]] speeds of up to 300 mph. They can destroy large [[architecture]], uproot [[tree]]s and hurl [[car]]s hundreds of yards. They can also drive straw into trees. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide to 50 miles long. In an average year, over 1000 tornadoes are reported nationwide.

==Tornado Physics==

==Tornado Physics==

|align="center" colspan="5"|

|align="center" colspan="5"|

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|-

!colspan="5" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: tan  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Fujita-Pearson (FPP) tornado scale

!colspan="5" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: tan  no-repeat scroll top left;"|Enhanced Fujita (EF) tornado scale

|-

|-

! width="100" | Category

! width="100" | Category

! width="100" | Maximum Wind Speed (mph)

! width="100" | Maximum Wind Speed (mph)

! width="400" | Damage

! width="400" | Damage

|-

|-

| '''F0'''

| '''EF-0'''

| 40-72

| 65-85

| Light damage to signs, chimneys; pushing-over of shallow-rooted trees and the breaking of tree branches, more severe damage to mobil homes, possibly including complete destruction, may occur.

| Light damage to signs, chimneys; pushing-over of shallow-rooted trees and the breaking of tree branches.

|-

|-

| '''F1'''

| '''EF-1'''

| 73-112

| 86-110

| Moderate damage; autos pushed from roads, trees snapped or uprooted, mobile homes pushed from foundations or destroyed.

| Moderate damage; autos pushed from roads, mobile homes pushed from foundations.

|-

|-

| '''F2'''

| '''EF-2'''

| 113-157

| 111-135

| Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; light-object missiles generated.

| 56-75

| Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated.

|-

|-

| '''F3'''

| '''EF-3'''

| 158-206

| 136-165

| Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees uprooted; vehicles lifted off ground and thrown and large missiles generated from debris.

| 176-556

| Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees uprooted; vehicles lifted off ground and thrown.

|-

|-

| '''F4'''

| '''EF-4'''

| 207-260

| 166-200

| 32-99

| Devastating damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structure with weak foundation blown off some distance; all vehicles thrown.

| Devastating damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structure with weak foundation blown off some distance; all vehicles thrown and large missiles generated from debris.

|-

|-

| '''F5'''

| '''EF-5'''

| 261-318

| >200

| Catastrophic damage. Strong-frame houses completely destroyed with debris scattered downwind, leaving an exposed foundation; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 yards; small towns within the damage path are leveled.

| Catastrophic damage. Strong-frame buildings either explode or are lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance to disintegrate; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 yards; small towns within the damage path are leveled.

|}

|}

==Occurrence==

==Occurrence==

Tornadoes can happen at any time of the [[year]] and at any time of the [[day]]. In the southern states, peak tornado season is from [[April]] through [[June]]. Peak times for tornadoes in the northern states are during the late [[summer]]. A few southern states have a second peak time for tornado outbreaks in the fall. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tornadoes can happen at any time of the [[year]] and at any time of the [[day]]. In the southern states, peak tornado season is from [[April]] through [[June]]. Peak times for tornadoes in the northern states are during the [[summer]]. A few southern states have a second peak time for tornado outbreaks in the fall. Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

[[Category:Meteorology]]

[[Category:Meteorology]]