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Tornadoes – Oh my!
A slidedeck for student engagement
Credit: UCAR Digital Image Library
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Tornado slidedeck overview:
• How tornadoes form
• Types of tornadoes
• The Enhanced Fujita Scale
• Tornado Shapes
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Fun Fact:
Only about one thunderstorm in a thousand produces tornadoes. Most tornadoes form during rotating supercellthunderstorms that often grow to over 40,000 feet.
Credit: UCAR Digital Image Library
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Image from VORTEXT2: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/vortex2/learn/
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How tornadoes form
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/tornado.htm
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Can you spot the hook?
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Types of Tornadoes
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How are tornadoes classified?
• What are the limitations of using qualitative observations (shape, colors) to classify the strength of a tornado?
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Can you think of a way to quantify the strength of tornadoes? How else can tornadoes be quantified?
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Enhanced Fujita Scale
• The Enhanced Fujita scale assigns a tornado “rating” based on estimated wind speeds and related damage
• The National Weather Service is the only federal agency with authority to provide “official” tornado EF Scale ratings
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The Enhanced Fujita Scale
The EF Rating is on a scale 0 to 5, depending on the 3 second gust (mph)
Ranks 1-28 based on damage indicators (DIs) such as building type, structures, and trees.
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Note: This only shows the first 10 damage indicators of the Enhanced F Scale
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Shapes of tornadoes
• Stove-pipe
• Dust Column (generally small and weak)
• Wedge (Large and fierce)
• Rope
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Stove-pipe (F0-F3)
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Dust Column Tornado (F0-F1)
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Dust Column Tornado (F0-F1)
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Wedge Tornadoes (F2-F5)
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Wedge Tornadoes (F2-F5)
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Rope
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Rope
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Credit: UCAR Digital Image Library