Tornadoes: Nature’s Deadliest Surprises

Nature’s deadliest surprises, tornadoes can spontaneously develop in supercell thunderstorms, along squall lines, near the ends of bow echoes, and within hurricanes after they’ve moved ashore. They may generate the strongest winds of any atmospheric phenomenon: over 200 mph. Annually, they kill dozens and injure hundreds. Typically they are responsible for around $100 million in property damage annually.

The science of pinpointing where tornadoes are about to spawn is currently little understood, so it is important to heed the watches and warnings of meteorologists, who know when the right conditions will exist for violent weather. If a Tornado Watch is issued, the right atmospheric conditions for the formation of tornadoes will soon exist or presently exist. If a Tornado Warning is issued, a tornado has been spotted either on radar or by a spotter. If a Warning has been issued for your area, head to a basement, shelter or other safe place with sturdy walls, no dangerous debris and no windows.

Below is a diagram of the damage paths of the worst tornado outbreak in recorded history. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

Written by Meteorologist Geoff Linsley