10 Things You Need to Know About a Tornado

Tornadoes occur when warm air rises rapidly, creating an updraft. While the rain cools the air around, because of the shift in winds, the wall cloud starts to rotate. The rotation intensifies, leading to a funnel-like shape and creating a strong suction as the warm air continues to rise. It can be quite clear at first; however, the cloudy consistency becomes visible when it picks up debris and clouds.

Here are a few things that you need to know about a tornado.

1. Damage: A tornado can damage more than 1 mile wide and 50 mile-long paths, depending on its intensity and the speed of the winds.
2. Tropical Storms And Hurricane: A tornado can bring about a tropical storm and hurricane.
3. Rotating Thunderstorms: Rotating thunderstorms are a major indicator of a tornado. They can include hail, severe winds, lightning, and flash floods.
4. More Than One: When the warm front meets the cold front, it leads to a twister. At times you can see more than one funnel.
5. Direction: A tornado can change its direction if it meets high winds or a thunderstorm. There is no set direction or indicators to predict the direction a tornado will take.
6. Color Of The Tornado: The color of the tornado depends on where it is formed. In dry areas, tornados can be invisible, while condensation funnels can be gray or white. If it occurs over water, it can be white or blue. When the tornado picks up a significant amount of debris, it becomes a darker gray or black.
7. Duration: Tornadoes can last anywhere a few seconds to more than an hour.
8. Where They Occur More Frequently: Tornadoes occur along Tornado Alley (Texas to North Dakota) more frequently.
9. Timing: They mostly occur between 3 to 9 pm during the day, but they are one of the most unpredictable natural disasters.
10. Peak Months: Southern states experience tornadoes from March till May. Northern states experience them in June till August.

Tornadoes can cause many fatalities and they can cause significant damage to a whole city. The Tri-State Tornado was one of the deadliest tornadoes. It occurred in Missouri and traveled 220 miles, passing through Illinois and Indiana. It rolled over nine towns and caused 695 deaths.

You need to protect yourself from a tornado by taking preventive measures. Installing a storm shelter is recommended to safeguard yourself and your family. You can contact us to build a storm shelter in Oklahoma. We offer free consultations and have an experienced team to help you out. We also offer a 10-year warranty against any leaks or corrosion on the storm shelters.