A tornado is an atmospheric vortex that forms in a cumulonimbus cloud and travels downward, often to the surface of the earth. From the outside, this natural phenomenon looks like a giant cloudy sleeve or trunk.
Reasons for the formation of tornadoes
The tornado mechanism has not yet been fully understood. A powerful atmospheric vortex is formed when humid warm air enters, which collides with cold and dry air that has formed over a piece of land or sea. At the point of contact of various air masses, water vapor condenses, water droplets are formed and heat is generated locally.
Warm air rises up, forming a vacuum zone, into which warm and humid air, clouds and cold and dry air located below are drawn. This leads to the development of an avalanche-like process of heat energy release. As a result, a characteristic funnel is formed, inside of which the air rises upward at high speed, twisting in a spiral. A vacuum is created in the funnel, drawing in more and more cold air.
Sinking to the ground, the funnel, acting like a giant vacuum cleaner, sucks in anything that can raise the airflow. The vacuum zone is constantly moving in the direction where the cold air comes from. The bizarre bends of a moving tornado are noticeable from the side. Precipitation during this phenomenon is usually small or completely absent. The largest number of tornadoes is observed in the central states of the United States, in the coastal regions of Western Europe and in the European territory of Russia.
Classification of tornadoes
The most common are whip-like tornadoes. Their smooth and thin funnel is like a flexible, coiling hose. The funnel is much longer than its diameter. As a rule, such vortices quickly collapse and cannot cause significant destruction.
Vague tornadoes are like a cluster of rotating clouds that have descended to the ground. The diameter of such a vortex can exceed its height. As a rule, these are very powerful tornadoes that can cause enormous damage due to high wind speeds.
Composite tornadoes are common in the central states of the United States. Several smaller tornadoes form around the central vortex, which is usually vague. Most often these are powerful tornadoes that cause significant damage to vast territories.
Fire tornadoes are a rare natural phenomenon. They are formed as a result of an extensive fire or volcanic eruption. A whip-like tornado absorbs fire, which rises through a narrow funnel to a smoky cloud. Such vortices are capable of spreading forest fires for tens of kilometers.
Depending on the substance drawn into the vortex, water, earth and snow tornadoes are distinguished.
