Meteorolgy Words

tornado

funnel cloud- A funnel-shaped cloud of condensed water, usually extending from the base of a cumuliform cloud. The rapidly rotating air of the funnel is not in contact with the ground; hence, it is not a tornado.

tornado alley- A region in the Great Plains of the United States extending from Texas and Oklahoma northward into Kansas and Nebraska where tornadoes are most frequent. Same as tornado belt.

suction vortices- Small, rapidly rotating whirls perhaps 10 m in diameter that are found within large tornadoes.

tornado watch- A forecast issued to alert the public that tornadoes may develop within a specified area, usually a portion of one or more states, over the next few hours.

tornado warning- A warning issued when a tornado has been observed or is indicated on a radar screen. It may also be issued when the formation of a tornado is imminent. Tornado warnings typically cover parts of one or more counties and last from 30 to 45 minutes.

tornado emergency- A type of tornado warning issued when a particularly strong tornado poses the potential for major damage or loss of life.

Fujita scale- A scale developed by T. Theodore Fujita for classifying tornadoes according to the damage they cause and their rotational wind speed. (See also Enhanced Fujita Scale.)

Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale)- A modification of the original Fujita Scale that describes tornado intensity by observing damage caused by the tornado.

tornado outbreak- A series of tornadoes that forms within a particular region—a region that may include several states. Often associated with widespread damage and destruction.

supercell tornadoes- Tornadoes occur w/in supercell t-storms, contain well-developed, mid-level mesocyclones.

mesocyclone

hook echo- The shape of an echo on a Doppler radar screen that indicates the possible presence of a tornado.

Tornadogenesis- The process by which a tornado forms.

nonsupercell tornadoes- tornado that occurs w/ a cloud that is often in growing...