“Twisters”: what is a tornado and how is it formed?

Protagonist element of “Twisters” which is currently showing in theaters, tornadoes are one of the most violent natural forces on Earth, capable of causing incalculable devastation, as shown in the film.

What is a tornado?

Tornadoes are large whirlwinds of wind, columns of air that spin violently until they touch the ground. According to the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts for Natural Disasters (Cemaden), the most striking characteristic is the vertical development of the phenomenon, which can reach more than 15 thousand meters in height.

Tornadoes are classified according to the scale Fujita and have six divisions. The lightest causes mild damage and winds do not exceed 116 km/h. On the other hand, in the strongest classification, winds can exceed 500 km/h.

How are tornadoes formed?

The origin of the phenomenon is not completely known, but it is possible to observe some common elements when a tornado appears. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Severe Storms Laboratory in the United States, it is believed that the formation is dictated mainly by things that happen on the scale of thunderstorms, in and around the mesocyclone.

Generally, tornadoes form from supercells when certain “ingredients” are present to help them thrive: instability in the atmosphere, which allows air to rise; uplift; and wind shear, which is when winds from different heights blow in different directions.

Wind shear creates a column of air that rotates horizontally within the storm cloud, which, when it touches the ground, is called a tornado.

Know the differences between a cyclone, typhoon, hurricane and tornado

With information from Duda Cambraia and Jennifer Gray, from CNN