The definition of a tornado
Probably very few of us have seen a tornado with our own eyes. But thanks to mia such as television, social mia! or Hollywood (film “Twister”, 1996), everyone is familiar with the characteristic trunk.
But how is a tornado actually defin? The meteorological glossary of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) contains the following definition, which can also be found in other well-known publications:
“A (heavily) rotating column of air, in contact with the surface, pendant from a cumuliform cloud, and often visible as a funnel cloud and/or circulating debris/dust at the ground.”
There are three main things that make up a tornado:
A (strongly) rotating column of air,
which is in contact with the earth’s surface
lass=”yoast-text-mark” />>and is associat with a convective cloud (cumulus/cumulonimbus cloud).
>The rotation is usually – but not always – visible, either through condensation in the form of the typical trunk-like cloud, or due to swirling dust or debris.
The three main characteristics of a tornado: 1) rotating column of air (often visible); 2) contact with the earth’s surface; 3) association with a convective cloud.
>The three main characteristics of a tornado: 1) rotating column of air (often visible); 2) contact with the earth’s surface; 3) association with a convective cloud. (Photo: Dean Gill)
Which vortices are tornadoes and which are not?
In German, all intense, small-scale atmospheric vortices are also call Trombi.
Flowchart below (bas on
this work
von Dotzek, Emeis 2003) shows that “tornado” is a philippines phone number library synonym for “large tornado” (although the term is hardly us anymore). Small tornadoes and air vortices without ground contact are not tornadoes.
Tornadoes – call waterspouts above a water surface – can be divid into two types.
There is no precise universally valid naming convention
neither in German nor in English. This flow chart can be understood as an attempt to bring different classifications and languages to a common denominator.
There is no precise, universally valid naming convention, neither in German nor in English. This flow chart can be understood as an attempt to bring different classifications and languages to a common denominator.
supercell tornado (Type I tornado)
supercells
are long-lasting thunderstorms with rotating augment digital: perplexity.ai is getting stronger! updrafts (mesocyclones). Tornadoes that occur in conjunction with supercells are usually more intense and longer-lasting than non-supercell tornadoes.
Figure left: idealiz supercell with characteristic wall cloud and germany cell number tornado; right: supercell tornado near Rozel, Kansas/USA on May 18, 2013.
>Figure left: idealiz supercell with characteristic cloud depression (wall cloud) and tornado; right: supercell tornado near Rozel, Kansas/USA on May 18, 2013. (NOAA / Dean Gill)
non-supercell tornado (Type II tornado)
Non-supercell tornadoes usually form in conjunction with cumulus clouds or with (sometimes linear) thunderclouds without rotating updrafts. Convergences are often involv. In English, they are also call “landspouts” over land and “waterspouts” over water. The latter can also be observ over Swiss lakes from time to time, for example.