What is a Tornado?

Mon, 22 May 2000 10:14:36 +0000

If you ever happen to see a dark often greenish sky, wall cloud, large hail and a loud roar similar to a freight train then run to a safe place as it could be a tornado.

Popularly known as twisters, tornado is derived from Spanish word ‘Tronada’ meaning thunderstorm and ‘Tornar’ meaning to turn.

Tornadoes [Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik]

A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column of air that can spin faster than 300 m.p.h., extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. They are generally observed as tube-or funnel-shaped clouds. At ground level they usually leave a path of destruction about 50 m wide and travel an average of about 8 to 24 km.

Killer Storm Rages Through Western Europe

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:44:01 +0000

Where: Paris, France

March 1, 2010 : A violent storm originating in the Atlantic Ocean crashed into the western coasts of France, Portugal and Spain on February 28, 2010. The storm, named Xynthia, left more than 50 people dead and thousands homeless along France’s Atlantic coast. The storm killed people in Germany, Spain and Portugal, but France had the maximum number of casualties.

Winds raging at speeds of 140 kilometres (87miles) per hour moved from Portugal up through the Bay of Biscay and struck the French coast. There was torrential rain as well. The storm later swept north-eastwards into Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. High speed winds struck the Swiss Alps.

Weather Disasters on Pitara Kids Network

What is a Tornado?

Killer Storm Rages Through Western Europe