LESSON 5: NATURAL PHENOMENA
Powerful Storms
The earth is always spinning, and its surface is unevenly heated. These two things create movement of air masses, and can make powerful storms. Powerful storms include tropical storms (hurricanes, cyclones, typhoons), blizzards and tornadoes.
Tropical storms all begin in the ocean when warm air rises from the ocean surface and meets with cool air from the sky. As this new air mass spins faster and faster, it becomes a tropical storm.
Tropical storms are measured on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The scale looks at wind speed and storm surges (when the sea level rises and pushes towards the coastline).
Tropical storms all begin in the ocean when warm air rises from the ocean surface and meets with cool air from the sky. As this new air mass spins faster and faster, it becomes a tropical storm.
Tropical storms are measured on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The scale looks at wind speed and storm surges (when the sea level rises and pushes towards the coastline).
Tornadoes
Like tropical powerful storms, tornadoes are caused when warm air rises. Tornadoes are different from tropical storms because they happen at a different time of year (during the spring and summer) and they develop over land, not water. Tornadoes are known for their tight, fast-spinning spiral.
Tornadoes happen worldwide, but many occur in North America. The states of Kansas and Oklahoma are known as "Tornado Alley" because they have so many big tornadoes every year.
A tornado is one of the fastest-moving natural phenomenon on earth. The severity of a tornado is measured on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, and rank between EF0 (minimal) to EF5 (incredible).
Tornadoes are caused when warm, humid air and colder air are close to one another, especially during the North American spring. The humid air rises during the day as the cold air sinks in a column. When the warm air begins spiraling around the cold air column, this forms a spiralling vortex.
Tornadoes happen worldwide, but many occur in North America. The states of Kansas and Oklahoma are known as "Tornado Alley" because they have so many big tornadoes every year.
A tornado is one of the fastest-moving natural phenomenon on earth. The severity of a tornado is measured on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, and rank between EF0 (minimal) to EF5 (incredible).
Tornadoes are caused when warm, humid air and colder air are close to one another, especially during the North American spring. The humid air rises during the day as the cold air sinks in a column. When the warm air begins spiraling around the cold air column, this forms a spiralling vortex.