Tornado with clear sky

Types of Tornadoes and Ways In Which They Can Be Harmful

Tornadoes are one of Mother Nature’s most devastating forces and may manifest themselves in a variety of forms and sizes. While each Tornado is unique, there are several characteristics that enable Tornadoes to be classified according to their size, appearance, and formation.

Regardless of its nature, each Tornado has the potential to be hazardous, with devastating winds that might endanger life and property. Tornadoes that remain on the ground for an extended length of time may shift between different types as their size and form vary over their lives.

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Satellites Tornadoes

Similar to how a weather satellite circles the Earth, a satellite Tornado orbits a bigger, “primary” Tornado. While this is a distinct secondary Tornado, it develops from the same parent mesocyclone as the first funnel.

Due to the rarity and scarcity of satellite Tornadoes, their features and sources remain mostly unknown. However, research conducted by NOAA‘s Storm Prediction Center found that they are often connected with powerful to severe (EF4 and EF5) major Tornadoes but are actually very weak EF0- to EF2-rated twisters.

Wedge Tornado

If a Tornado seems broader than it is tall or has the appearance of an upside-down pyramid, it is almost certainly a wedge. Their sooty appearance is due to the large quantity of dirt and detritus they consume.

Wedges are often severe EF3, EF4, and EF5 storms, as seen by the 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma Tornado, classified as an EF3 on the Enhanced-Fujita scale. At 2.6 miles in diameter, it is the greatest Tornado recorded in the United States of America’s weather history.

Tornado in the sea

Non-supercell Tornados

These circulations do not arise as a result of structured storm rotation but rather as a result of a vertically rotating parcel of air near the ground. In eastern Colorado, for example, cool air descending from the Rockies into the dry air of the plains may create minor non-supercell Tornadoes. Landspouts and waterspouts are also non-supercell Tornadoes.

They are narrow condensation funnels that emerge from a spinning motion near the surface before building thunderclouds above cause a rotating updraft.

US Safe Room will help you keep yourself safe from devastating Tornados through garage shelters. We can help you install a tornado shelter. At US Safe Room, we offer a range of tornado shelters in Texas, including underground tornado shelters, steel storm shelters, and community storm shelters.

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