SevereWeather:Tornadoes,Hurricanes,ThunderstormsandBlizzards

WEBSITE:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
Onceyougettothissite,clickonTornadoes
TORNADOES
Step1:Whenthenumber1isdark.Readtheinformationabouttornadoesinthegrayboxandanswerthe
followingquestions.Youmayhavetoscrolldowntoseealloftheinformation.
1. Whatisatornado?
Violentrotatingcolumnofairthatcomesfromathunderstormandtouchesground
2. Whichstatehasthemosttwistersperyear?Howmany?
Texas120
Step2:Clickonthe#2.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whataresupercells?
Largethunderstormswithwindsinrotation
2. WheredomosttornadoesinAmericaoccur?
Tornadoalley

3. Whydomosttornadoesoccurinthelateafternoon?
Thesunhasalreadyheatedthegroundandatmosphere
Clickonthenextbuttontozoomintoseeatornado.
4. Whendotornadoesform?
Warmhumidaircollideswithcolddryair
5. Whatisanupdraft?
Thewarmairrisingthroughthecoldair
6. Whywoulditstarttorotate?
Thetornadokeepspullinginmoreair
7. Beforethestormturnsintoatornado,whattypeofclouddoesitbecome?
Funnelcloud
Step3:Clickonthe#3.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whattypeofweatheraccompaniestornadoes?
Severethunderstorms
Clickonseetornadodamageatthebottomofthetext.

2. HowdoestheFujitascalemeasuretornadointensity?
Analyzingdamagedonetowindspeeds
MovearoundtheFujitascaletoseetheeffectstornadoesofdifferentintensitieshave.
Clickonthe#4toseeavideoofatornadopassing.
Clickonthe#5toanswerthefollowingquestion.Youwillhavetoscrolldowntoanswerthequestion.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenatornadowatchandatornadowarning?
Tornadowatchesarepotentialtornadoswhilewarningsmeanthereisoneandtobecareful
Clickon#6tomakeatornado.
1.Whatconditionsareperfectformakingatornado?
Fallingpressure,warmmoistair,colddryair,variablewinds
HURRICANES
Now,youaremovingontohurricanes.Clickonthehurricanesymbolabovethenumbers,andbegin.
74

1. Howmanymphmustwindsbegoinginorderforatropicalstormtobeahurricane?

2. Wheredohurricanesform?
Atlanticoreasternpacificoceans
Wheredocyclonesform?
BayofBengalandnorthernIndianOcean
Wheredotyphoonsform?
WesternPacific
Clickon#2,andreadtheinformation.Clickthenextbuttonwhenyouaredone.
1.DoestheeyeofthehurricanehaveHIGHorLOWpressure?
High

2. Wherearethemostviolentwindsinthehurricane?
Theedges
Clickonthe#3.
1. Inthenorthernhemisphere,hurricanesalwaysturnhow?
Counterclockwise
2. Inthesouthernhemisphere,theyalwaysturnhow?
Clockwise
Playwiththeimageofthehurricanetoseea3Dimage.
Clickonthe#4.
1. Alloftherainfromhurricanescancausewhattooccur?

Tornadoes
2.Whatisastormsurge?
Riseinsealevel
Clickonthe#5.
Readtheinformation,andwatchthevideo.
Clickonthe#6.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenahurricanewatchandahurricanewarning?
Awatchisapossiblethreat,awarningislikelytohitinadayafterbeingissued
Clickonthe#7.
Create5hurricanes.
1. Whichonecreatesthemostdamage?Whatfactors?
5category5and155mphwindspeeds
2.Whichonecreatestheleastdamage?Whatfactors?
4isonlyacategory1
THUNDERSTORMS
Gotohttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. Listthe3ingredientsnecessaryforathunderstorm.
Moistureinstabilityliftingmechanism
2. ClickonLifecycleofaThunderstorm.Takenotesoneachofthethreestages.

ToweringCumulusStage

MatureCumulusStage

A cumulus cloud begins to grow vertically, perhaps to a height of 20,000 feet (6 km). Air within the cloud is dominated by updraft with
some turbulent eddies around the edges.

The storm has considerable depth, often reaching 40,000 to 60,000 feet (12 to 18 km). Strong updrafts and downdrafts coexist. This is
the most dangerous stage when large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding may occur.

DissipatingStage

The downdraft cuts off the updraft. The storm no longer has a supply of warm moist air to maintain itself and therefore it dissipates.
Light rain and weak outflow winds may remain for a while during this stage, before leaving behind just a remnant anvil top.

3. Whataresomeofthepotentialhazardsofthunderstorms?
Debristhrownthroughtheair
BLIZZARDS
Gotohttp://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm

1. HowdoestheNationalWeatherServicedefineablizzard?
Severewinterstormswithblowingsnowandwindcausinglowvisibility.
2. Listsomeofthedangersofblizzards.
Caraccidents,beingstranded,collapsingbuildings,freezing
3. WhatdowecallablizzardthatmovesuptheeastcoastfromtheMidAtlantictoNewEngland?
Noreaster
4. ScrolldowntoKeepAheadoftheStorm
Whatdoesitmeanifeachofthefollowingisissued:
WinterStormWatchSeverewinterconditions,heavysnowwithinnextdayortwo
WinterStormWarningSevereconditionhavebegun
BlizzardWarningSnow/strongwindscombineandproduceablindingsnow

CreateACaneGame
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/games/canelab.htm
CreateACanePostGameQuestion
1. Whatistheidealwindspeedforahurricane?
2. Whatistheidealtemperatureforahurricane?
3. Whatistheideallatitudeforahurricane?
4. Whatistheidealmoistureforahurricane?
5. Whatisneededtocreateatropicaldepressionintheocean?