AIM: How do tornado’s form and who do they effect? Do Now: Do you think a tornado has ever hit Long Island or New York City and caused serve damage? Homework: Article Due Friday

PART ONE: TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is a tornado?

Can you put this picture into words?

What do you see?

Describe what you see.

Formation of a Tornado Tornadoes are usually the extreme result of a very large thunderstorm called a supercell. During the storm cold air and warm air combine. The cold air drops as the warm air rises.

The warm air eventually twists into a spiral and forms a funnel cloud. The sky turns a very dark green color and the tornado begins its destruction

Steps in the formation of a tornado 1.Just before the thunderstorm develops, a change in wind direction and an increase in wind speed, at an increasing altitude, creates an invisible horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere

2. Rising air within the thunderstorm’s updraft tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical.

3. An area of rotation, 2-6 miles wide is contained within a vast majority of the storm. The strongest, most violent tornadoes form within this area of rotation. 4. A lower cloud base in the center of the storm becomes a rotating wall cloud. This area is often nearly rain-free!

5. Just a very few minutes later, a tornado develops and starts its destruction.

Where do they form?

Fujita Intensity Scale The Fujita Scale is what looks at the amount of destruction to the environment and to man made structures that are destroyed by the tornado.

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Destruction