We're Not In Kansas

We’re Not In Kansas Anymore, an Article about the Lives of Tornadoes Did you know that tornadoes are always results of thunderstorms? Or that the Tornado Alley (Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Missouri, Illinois, New Mexico, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Colorado) are the states with the highest number of tornadoes? Well, if you didn’t know, you do now! The slender, spinning columns of air, known by most as tornadoes, contains three main stages: formation, maturity, and decay. Once the tornado is fully formed, it gathers strength and speed as it is at the peak of its life. When a tornado is mature, it can either be very skinny and last for a few

seconds or roughly two miles wide and last for hours. The force of a full-blown tornado can be observed in this quote from Bolt out of the Blackness: Omaha, Nebraska: “When the storm struck the town, houses literally tumbled down the street like tumbleweeds.” In the North of the equator twisters spin counterclockwise, while in the south of the equator twisters spin clockwise. However, in both places a tornado is only slowed when

it goes over water thus going into its decay. After the cyclone reaches its peak, the thunderstorm that created the terrible twister returns it to the air. Because a cyclone needs warm, moist air to continue powering on, if the cyclone is bombarded with cool, dry air it is weakened. When the tornado is decaying/dissipating a thin rope-like configuration of wind is seen in the sky. That stage in a tornado’s life is called “rope stage”. If you are thinking of coming out of your safe shelter, be sure to check to see if the whirlwind of a tornado is in its rope stage. The three stages: formation, maturity, and decay create terrible but intriguing

wonders to observe from a very far place. But if you see the sky in your vicinity turn green or yellow, don’t hop in your car and try to drive far away so that you can get a good look at coming tornado. Instead, find the nearest safe shelter and get there as fast as you can. Although they may be cool, cyclones are not the ideal storm to experience first-hand. Sydney, 13

10 May/June