Tornado Alley

Tornado Review
 A tornado is a violently rotating column of air in contact with and extending between a
Thunder Storm cloud and the surface of the earth.
 Winds in most tornadoes blow at 100 mph or less, but in the most violent, and least frequent
tornadoes, wind speeds can exceed 250 mph.
 typically track along the ground for a few miles or less and are less than 100 yards wide,
although rare monsters can remain in contact with the earth for well over 50 miles and
exceed one mile in width.
 Tornadoes can appear as a traditional funnel shape, or in a slender rope-like form. Some
have a churning, smoky look to them. Others contain "multiple vortices" which are small,
individual tornadoes rotating around a common center.
 Tornadoes can be nearly invisible, with only swirling dust or debris at ground level as the
only indication of the tornado's presence.
 Conditions for Development
 Abundant low level moisture.
 A "trigger" such as a cold front or other low level zone of converging winds.
 Rising air that becomes saturated, this air will continue to rise to great heights and
produce a thunderstorm cloud if the atmosphere is unstable.
 Unstable atmosphere occurs when temperature decreases rapidly with height.
 Atmospheric instability can also occur when dry air overlays moist air near the
earth's surface.
A Brief History of Tornadoes
oAccountsof tornadoes or tornado-like winds have been noted
throughout English history back to around 1,000 AD.

oIn thepresent-day United States, the first sightings of tornadoes

or waterspouts by English speakers date back to the late 1500s,
during expeditionary adventures that would ultimately lead to
colonization of the country.

oDuringthe mid1800s, textbooks began to describe the

phenomenon and what was believed to be behind it.

“The motion of the air in tornadoes is spirally inward

and upward, so that from each side of the track objects
are drawn inward from the centre of the track, and
very heavy objects are carried up in the centre. Light
objects are elevated high into the air, and are
sometimes carried many miles before they are thrown
out of the vortex.”

By Elias Loomis (1811-1889)

Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy
Yale College, New Haven, Connecticut
The Beginning of Tornado Alley
 On Feb. 15, 1952, two officers of the Air Force's Severe Weather Warning Center
set up a project they called “Tornado Alley”. The purpose was to monitor twisters in
an area from Lubbock, Texas, to Colorado and Nebraska.

 The same officers had been responsible for making the first successful tornado
forecast in 1948.

 They also issued the first official tornado warning in modern history. The region
was called “the incubator of nature's deadliest storms” which was mentioned in the
New York Times on May 5, 1957.
 Where is “Tornado Alley”
If you were to be exact about tornado alley, it would really be made up of hundreds of little strips, and
never one large “alley”.
States effected
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wyoming
Colorado
Nebraska
Minnesota
Iowa
Illinois
Ohio
Indiana
Missouri
Kansas
Kentucky
Tennessee
Arkansas
Oklahoma
* Texas has more tornadoes than any other state in the
Texas
USA, but Oklahoma has the most dangerous storms (F4
Louisiana
and F5 storms).
 Formation of the Alley
 The warm moist air, called tropical maritime air, is swept up from the Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean Sea due to lack of mountain barriers.

 During the spring months the Earth begins to warm, which adds to the layer of warm moist air
which is close to the ground. While this is occurring, cool dry air masses, called maritime
polar, often sweep in from the north or northeast.

 The cool air is trapped by the Rocky Mountains and rides close to 10,000 feet above the
warmer air below.

 Cool air over warm air creates an unstable condition. The hot middle layer, coming from the
west often acts as a “cap” on the low-level warm, moist air.

 Only the strongest areas of heating near the ground can penetrate the cap. But when they
do, the bottled-up, low-level moist air feeds into the break from miles around.

 The shifting winds twist theses updrafts forming supercell thunderstorms.

 A breaking cap, with the help of an upper level jetstream, can cause convection to grow
explosively, with storms rapidly becoming severe and tornadic.
Formation
 Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale
 F0: 40–72 mph winds. Damage is light and might include damage
to tree branches, chimneys, and billboards. Shallow-rooted trees
may be pushed over.

 F1: 73–112 mph winds. Damage is moderate; mobile homes may

be pushed off foundations and moving autos pushed off the road.
 F2: 113–157 mph winds. Damage is considerable. Roofs can be
torn off houses, mobile homes demolished, and large trees
uprooted. Think of Salt Lake in 2007

 F3: 158–206 mph winds. Damage is severe. Even well-constructed

houses may be torn apart, trees uprooted, and cars lifted off the
ground.
 F4: 207–260 mph winds. Damage is devastating. Houses can
be leveled and cars thrown; objects become deadly missiles.

 F5: 261–318 mph winds. Damage is incredible. Structures are lifted

off foundations and carried away; cars become missiles. Fewer
than 2% of all tornadoes reach an intensity of this magnitude.
 F6: Projected wind speed are expected to exceed 318 mph.
One of the closest event to an F6 was the Tri-State Tornado
of 1924
Human Effects
Tornado disasters from
1980 - 2008
Num. of Events: 182
People killed: 4,780
Average people
165
killed per year:
People affected: 12,710,204
Average people
438,283
affected per year:
Economic Damage
31,510,661
(US$ X 1,000):
Economic Damage
per year (US$ X 1,086,575
1,000):
 Fun Facts!
• In 1928, a tornado in Kansas plucked the
feathers right off some chickens.

• A Tornado in Oklahoma once destroyed a

whole motel. People later found the motel’s
sign in Arkansas.

• You need to step on the pedal of a car past

70 miles per hour to outrun the fastest
tornadoes.

• Tornadoes have been reported in every

state in the US and also in every season.
 Community Preparation Plan

1. Prepare Your Tornado Plan - Just as schools and offices have

specific plans in the case of a tornado, so should you for your
home. The first thing you need to do is designate your "shelter
room."

If your house doesn't have an underground storm shelter, you

should choose the area that is the lowest, smallest and most central.
Often this is a cellar or basement, or it could be a central hallway or
bathroom. Make sure you are as far as possible from outside walls
and windows.
2. Know the Dangers of Mobile Homes - For those
living in mobile homes, your tornado plan should
take you to a preselected, permanent structure.

 If the warning time is not sufficient, you should

never attempt to drive when a tornado is near.

 You are safer lying in a ditch or depression than

driving or remaining in a mobile home.
3.Prepare Your Tornado Kit - Every household should
have an emergency kit that is easily accessible when
tornado conditions arrive. A tornado kit should include:

Battery-powered radio or television

Flashlight
Extra batteries for both of the above
First aid kit
Sturdy shoes for every member of the family
Identification and cash
Spare set of keys to vehicles
4. Always Stay Weather-Informed - With today's technology,
media outlets often know a couple of days in advance when
conditions are right for tornadoes. Keep informed on the
forecast, and always watch for signs of possible tornadoes
such as:

Dark, greenish sky

Wall cloud
Cloud rotation or strong, swirling winds
Loud roar, often described as sounding like a freight train

Technology can be a life saving resource!!!

5. Act Quickly - If your area is in a tornado warning, don't
waste time.

 Grab your tornado kit, pillows and blankets and get

immediately to your shelter room.

 Make sure everyone is wearing their sturdy shoes. Use

the radio to listen to weather broadcasts, and don't leave
your shelter room until the tornado danger has passed.

 If a tornado strikes, use pillows and blankets, arms and

hands to cover your neck and head.
6. Know Your Aftermath Plan - Your entire family should
have a designated area to meet just in case you are
separated during a tornado. Treat anyone who may be
injured, but don't move anyone who is seriously injured
unless preventing them from further injury.

7 .Give Aid – Many of your neighbor may require

assistance, but stay out of damaged buildings if at all
possible. Leave immediately if you smell gas or
chemical fumes.
 Remember
Stay Calm - Both before and after a tornado, it is easy and quite
understandable to experience panic. However, being prepared and
staying calm will increase your response time, ensure you make the right
decisions and often save lives.

 Never stay in a car or mobile home during a tornado. You are safer
outside in the lowest area.

 Never try to outrun a tornado. They can change direction at any moment.

 Never take cover beneath a bridge or overpass.

 Never go outside to watch a tornado. Take cover immediately.

 Always know the tornado plans of any schools or office buildings in

which you spend time.
We are grateful for those that sacrifice their time,
energy, effort and even lives to better understand
such a natural and deadly hazard.