It takes more than just "hot air meets cold air" to form a tornado, which is why they happen so rarely. You also need wind shear, and there are two types of wind shear:
- speed shear describes wind moving at different speeds when you look through different levels of the atmosphere
- directional shear describes wind moving in different directions through the different levels of the atmosphere.
As a strong thunderstorm sucks in air, a strong updraft develops and creates some of that shear. That is able to create and lift rotating columns of air to create a tornado. The strong wind is then able to do the damage we associate with tornadoes.
DISCUSSION IDEAS:
Where do you go as your "safe place" during a tornado warning? Now that you know tornadoes form in the cloud, why do you go to that safe place? (Hint: safe place is the lowest level of a sturdy structure, away from windows)
