The formation of tornadoes is a secret and mystery of life’s natural destructive forces that has been in question and study for generations. Tornadoes are capable of causing mass destructive effects on both human and animal populations with wind speeds capable of reaching over three hundred miles per hour. Commonly known as cyclones or twisters, tornadoes have proven to be one of the most feared elements of nature’s wrath for countless years. Intense research of tornadoes over the last century has resulted in documentaries, scientific analysis and theories on both how tornadoes form, and why.
A tornado is commonly associated with a massive thunderstorm. This is not a coincidence. They are formed in the same way; when warm air meets cold air which causes a disturbance in the atmosphere. In countries such as the United States where tornadoes are most common, the sky will turn black, the air will feel warm and in a matter of minutes, the entire area can be covered in heavy rain. The next sign of course is the streaks of lightning that cover the sky, followed by the epic sound of a quaking thunder shaking the area. The way to tell from a simple thunderstorm from a tornado is quite simple.
A simple thunderstorm is usually associated with changes such as temperature and shape of the clouds. Signs of a tornado however are much more complex. Wind speed and direction can change and alter at alarming and somewhat strange rates; it can alter from left to right and from high to low in a matter of seconds feeling like a compass out of control. A simple way to notice this is the shape and the direction of the rain that is commonly sighted in the vicinity of the tornado.
The area contracting the storm will begin to become noticeable. The violent changes in the wind will cause an updraft in the area of the storm, causing a violent turning effect. While rain may be surrounding the area, a rotating cloud will begin to form that is visible due to the fact there is no rain falling within that section. That is because the cloud is now rotating fast enough to keep ran out of its vicinity making the inside of the tornado more or less dry compared to the outside.
As the mixture of the cold air from the clouds and the warm air continue to combine and upset the atmosphere and violently rotate with the rising wind speeds, a funnel-shaped vortex is eventually formed. This is the base of the tornado. This is the section of the tornado that moves as the wind speed changes and the direction of the wind is continuously forced into a confusing journey due to the violent weather conditions. Rain, thunder and lightning are all violently present and combined with the tornado; the potential for mass destruction is very common and very imminent.
The secrets of tornadoes are still being uncovered. Just what is the mystery behind this massive destructive phenomenon; is there any means of slowing their formation or stopping their destruction? As the years progress onward, more research is taking place as of 2010 and a potential link between the increasingly common occurrences of tornadoes with the presence of global warming has become evident. What unanswered questions are waiting in regards to the formation and increasingly common occurence of tornadoes in the depths of the future?
