A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that comes into contact with the Earth's surface as well as a cumulonimbus cloud or, on rare occasions, the cumulus cloud's base. Tornadoes can utterly destroy well-constructed structures, uproot trees, and throw objects through the air like devastating missiles. This article will explain to you about tornadoes which will be helpful in preparing the GeographySyllabus for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Tornado

Tornado

• A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that collides with the Earth's surface as well as a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.
• It is also known as a twister, whirlwind, or cyclone.
• Tornadoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they are frequently visible as a condensation funnel originating from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud, with a cloud of rotating debris and dust beneath it.
• Most tornadoes have wind speeds of less than 110 miles per hour (180 kilometres per hour), are about 250 feet (80 metres) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometres) before dissipating.
• Tornadoes can reach wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour (480 km/h), have diameters of more than two miles (3 km), and can stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km)
• Tornado is Spiraling wind descends like an elephant's trunk with immense force from violent thunderstorms, with very low pressure at the centre, causing massive havoc along the way.
• Tornadoes are most common in the middle latitudes.
• Tornadoes are most common in the spring and summer in the mid-latitudes of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres when thunderstorms are present.
• These storms transform potential and heat energy into kinetic energy, allowing the restless atmosphere to return to a more stable condition.

Structure of a Tornado

• Tornadoes with fully developed airflow have separate airflow areas.
• The primary axis of circulation, as indicated in the diagram, is located within the core region, a roughly cylindrical area of lower air pressure bounded by the maximum tangential winds.
• Within the core region, if a visible funnel cloud arises, it will be observable.
• The condensation funnel is a column of water droplets that makes up the funnel cloud.
• A tornado may not have a condensation funnel if the weather is extremely dry.
• Air near the ground in what is known as the inflow boundary layer converges from all directions into a tornado's "corner region" in response to the reduced pressure in the central core.
• The wind "turns the corner" from mostly horizontal to vertical flow when it enters the core region and begins its upward spiral, giving this region its name.
• The area around the corner is really dangerous. A dust swirl or debris fountain is common, as the exploding inflow propels material ripped from the surface aloft.
• The turbulent airflow inflow boundary layer that feeds the corner region is normally a few tens of metres deep.
• The core is surrounded by a weakly spinning outer layer above the boundary layer.

Structure

Origin of a Tornado

• Shear, lift, instability, and moisture are often required for tornado formation.
• The most significant ingredient in the formation of tornadoes is wind shear.
• When there is wind shear, the winds can sometimes roll into a horizontal column.
• When air is moved from the ground to the atmosphere in a vigorous updraft, the column of air becomes vertical.
• In this scenario, a storm normally occurs at that point.
• Much of the time, when the storm grows, it transforms into a supercell thunderstorm.
• These supercell thunderstorms are isolated, discrete cells that do not form part of a storm line.
• Storms that rotate and spin are also known as supercells.
• When the vertical, spinning column of air and the supercell thunderstorm combine, the storm cloud may produce a tornado.
• Tornadoes occur more frequently in the spring and less frequently in the winter.
• Stronger winds, wind shear, and atmospheric instability are present in the spring and fall, therefore activity increases during those seasons.
• Because of solar heating, tornado occurrence is strongly dependent on the time of day.
• Tornadoes in the United States are the most dangerous.
• There are around 1,800 thunderstorms in process around the world at any given time.

Distribution of Tornadoes

• Polar regions are uncommon, and latitudes higher than 50° N and 50° S are uncommon.
• Thunderstorms are more common in temperate and tropical climates.
• Except for Antarctica, tornadoes have been reported on every continent.
• Tornadoes in the United States are the most dangerous.
• Canada has the second-highest number of tornadoes in the world.
• Bangladesh is the most tornado-prone country in the Indian subcontinent.
• There are around 1,800 thunderstorms in process around the world at any given time.

Distribution of Tornadoes

Significance of Tornadoes

• Tornadoes provide plenty of nitrogen for the soil and water for the plants.
• On a size and time scale, a tornado is the most effective route to transfer air from one section of the atmosphere to another.
• Tornadoes help in the pollination of seeds through their massive movement.
• It also destroys old-growth trees, which provide habitat for local wildlife.
• Tornadoes are known for uprooting large trees out of the ground and transporting them to a new location.

Conclusion

In India, both tornadoes and cyclones occur. Tornadoes, unlike cyclones, have a relatively low frequency of occurrence. Tornadoes of weak strength occur in the north-western and north-eastern regions of the country, causing significant damage to man and property. Cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea regions, whereas Tornadoes of weak strength occur in the north-western and north-eastern regions of the country.