Background
According
to FEMA a tornado is
A tornado is a violent windstorm characterized by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud.
It is spawned by a thunderstorm (or sometimes as a result of a hurricane) and
produced when cool air overrides a layer of warm air, forcing the warm air to
rise rapidly. The damage from a tornado is a result of the high wind velocity
and wind-blown debris. Tornado season is generally March through August, although
tornadoes can occur at any time of year. They tend to occur in the afternoons
and evenings: over 80 percent of all tornadoes strike between noon and midnight.
The states at greatest risk
are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Indiana, Florida, and Georgia
1,000
tornadoes develop in United States each year on average.
The most violent winds in the world
are developed by tornadoes which can generate wind speeds up to 300 miles per
hour.
42 people
are killed each year on average because of tornadoes.
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