The science behind tornadoes
It’s safe to say that tornado season is in full effect. As of April 12th nationwide there has been 536 tornadoes. The top three states: Georgia-104, Texas-69, and Missouri-60. This does not include one of several tornadoes that affected the Texas panhandle. The town of Dimmitt, Texas was right in the path of a severe storm–just days ago. Golf-ball size hail, flash flooding and several confirmed tornadoes were reported. Debris was strung across fence lines and fields, trees snapped and multiple power lines were down. There is a science behind the destruction of tornadoes.
Tornadoes don’t just pop into existence they develop out of thunderstorms, where there’s already a steady, upward flow of warm, low pressure air to get things started. NWS Meteorologist Jason Laney provides a simple demonstration using a “tornado-tube” that shows how water can’t readily pass from one bottle to the other by itself. When rotation and vortex (one that simulates the same flow patterns as a tornado) develops and allows upward transport of air (similar to an updraft) and the downward flow of water (a rear flank down draft) the water funnels its way into the lower bottle.
Forecasters say predicting the path of a tornado can also be challenging. Tornadoes tend to follow the general movement of the thunderstorm they are associated with.
