Tornadoes: The Violent Forces of Nature
Tornadoes: The Violent Forces of Nature
These violent storms occur around the world, but the United States is a
major hotspot with about a thousand tornadoes every year. "Tornado
Alley," a region that includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,
Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern Colorado,. U.S. tornadoes cause
80 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries per year.
The meteorological factors that drive tornadoes make them more likely
at some times than at others. They occur more often in late afternoon,
when thunderstorms are common, and are more prevalent in spring and
summer. However, tornadoes can and do form at any time of the day and
year.
Tornado forecassters can't give the same kind of warning that hurricane
watchers can, but they can do enough to save lives. Today the average
warning time for a tornado alert is 13 minutes. Tornadoes can also be
identified by signs that include a dark, greenish sky, large hail, and a
powerful roar.
Bibliography