According to wikipedia: a tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. Tornadoes come in many sizes but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris.
Most tornadoes have wind speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 110 mph (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (75 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. Some attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than a mile (1.6 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km).
Although tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica, most occur in the United States. They also commonly occur in southern Canada, south-central and eastern Asia, east-central South America, Southern Africa, northwestern and southeast Europe, Italy, western and southeastern Australia, and New Zealand. (You can see more of the wikipedia article here.
See what some people are saying about some very known tornados are:
Manhattan ks (Kansas) tornado:
Well, This summer season has started out pretty crazy weather wise. It actually isn’t summer yet, and some locations in the Northeast US have reported 100+ degree temperatures. This crazy weather is responsible for spawning a very violent and deadly tornado in Manhattan. Not Manhattan New York, but a Town called Manhattan Kansas.
Two people were confirmed dead in this tragic storm. Buildings at Kansas State University were also damaged, some quite badly. They have canceled classes for the day at least while they evaluate how severe the damage really is. We do know that a fraternity house on the campus had it’s roof torn off by the storm. Reports say that they had to bring at least 12 ambulances into this Kansas town just to take care of those injured by the tornado. In the city of Chapman, which is located Southwest of Manhattan, there are reports that over 60 homes have been completely demolished by the tornado.
Chapman tornado
A whooping tornado hit the town of Chapman in Kansas United States. The Chapman twister fiercely tore through Chapman and destroyed building as it swept across the expanse. According to official source, the Chapman tornado left one person dead and scores of others injured. The officials say that at least one person is dead after the tornado ripped through a small town in central Kansas.
According to Sharon Watson the chief spokesperson of the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department, there is a fatality in the town of Chapman and says there may be others. The twister was half a mile wide, and it cut across the town and roared through the town during Wednesday night. It destroyed over 60 homes and numerous businesses premises across the Chapman area.
Rescue operations are going on and a shelter has been established in nearby Abilene. Victims of the Chapman tornado are being ferried top the shelter. The transportation mode is through buses though there are no complains about it.
A tornado also hit the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, damaging buildings and tossing cars. No injuries have been reported yet but it is estimated there will be causalities with severe injuries.
