SevereWeather:Tornadoes,Hurricanes,ThunderstormsandBlizzards

WEBSITE:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
Onceyougettothissite,clickonTornadoes
TORNADOES
Step1:Whenthenumber1isdark.Readtheinformationabouttornadoesinthegrayboxandanswerthe
followingquestions.Youmayhavetoscrolldowntoseealloftheinformation.
1. Whatisatornado?
Aviolentlyrotatingcolumnofairthatextendsfromthunderstormtoground
2. Whichstatehasthemosttwistersperyear?Howmany?
Texas.Averageof120.
Step2:Clickonthe#2.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whataresupercells?
Largethunderstormswithwindsalreadyinrotation
2. WheredomosttornadoesinAmericaoccur?
TornadoAlley

3. Whydomosttornadoesoccurinthelateafternoon?
Sunhasheatedthegroundandatmosphereenoughtoproducethunderstorms
Clickonthenextbuttontozoomintoseeatornado.
4. Whendotornadoesform?
Warmhumidaircollideswithcolddryair.
5. Whatisanupdraft?
Warmairrisingthroughcolderair
6. Whywoulditstarttorotate?
Windsvarysharply
7. Beforethestormturnsintoatornado,whattypeofclouddoesitbecome?
Mesocyclone
Step3:Clickonthe#3.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whattypeofweatheraccompaniestornadoes?
Severethunderstormsandhighwinds
Clickonseetornadodamageatthebottomofthetext.

2. HowdoestheFujitascalemeasuretornadointensity?
AnalyzingthedamagedoneonaF0F5scale
MovearoundtheFujitascaletoseetheeffectstornadoesofdifferentintensitieshave.
Clickonthe#4toseeavideoofatornadopassing.
Clickonthe#5toanswerthefollowingquestion.Youwillhavetoscrolldowntoanswerthequestion.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenatornadowatchandatornadowarning?
Watch:weatherisconduciveWarning:hasbeenindicatedorasightinghasbeenmade
Clickon#6tomakeatornado.
1. Whatconditionsareperfectformakingatornado?
Cold/dryair,warm/moistair,fallingpressure,variablewinds
HURRICANES
Now,youaremovingontohurricanes.Clickonthehurricanesymbolabovethenumbers,andbegin.
1. Howmanymphmustwindsbegoinginorderforatropicalstormtobeahurricane?
74mph
2. Wheredohurricanesform?
Atlanticofeasternpacific
Wheredocyclonesform?
BayofBengal,andnorthernIndianOcean
Wheredotyphoonsform?
WesternPacific
Clickon#2,andreadtheinformation.Clickthenextbuttonwhenyouaredone.
2. DoestheeyeofthehurricanehaveHIGHorLOWpressure?
low
3. Wherearethemostviolentwindsinthehurricane?
Eyewall
Clickonthe#3.
1. Inthenorthernhemisphere,hurricanesalwaysturnhow?
Counterclockwise
2. Inthesouthernhemisphere,theyalwaysturnhow?
clockwise
Playwiththeimageofthehurricanetoseea3Dimage.
Clickonthe#4.

1. Alloftherainfromhurricanescancausewhattooccur?
Floods,flashfloods,andlandslides
2. Whatisastormsurge?
Riseinsealevel
Clickonthe#5.
Readtheinformation,andwatchthevideo.
Clickonthe#6.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenahurricanewatchandahurricanewarning?
Watch:possiblethreatWarning:likelytohitinnext24hrs
Clickonthe#7.
Create5hurricanes.
1. Whichonecreatesthemostdamage?Whatfactors?
3and5.Highhumidity,lowpressure,andwarmoceanwater
2.Whichonecreatestheleastdamage?Whatfactors?
1,2and4.
THUNDERSTORMS
Gotohttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. Listthe3ingredientsnecessaryforathunderstorm.
Moisture,instability,liftingmechanism
2. ClickonLifecycleofaThunderstorm.Takenotesoneachofthethreestages.

ToweringCumulusStageAcumuluscloudbeginstogrowvertically,perhapstoaheightof20,000
feet(6km).Airwithinthecloudisdominatedbyupdraftwithsometurbulenteddiesaroundtheedges.

MatureCumulusStageThestormhasconsiderabledepth,oftenreaching40,000to60,000feet(12to
18km).Strongupdraftsanddowndraftscoexist.Thisisthemostdangerousstagewhenlargehail,
damagingwinds,andflashfloodingmayoccur.

DissipatingStageThedowndraftcutsofftheupdraft.Thestormnolongerhasasupplyofwarmmoist
airtomaintainitselfandthereforeitdissipates.Lightrainandweakoutflowwindsmayremainfora
whileduringthisstage,beforeleavingbehindjustaremnantanviltop.

3. Whataresomeofthepotentialhazardsofthunderstorms?
Hail,damagingwinds,tornadoes,andflashfloods

BLIZZARDS
Gotohttp://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm
1. HowdoestheNationalWeatherServicedefineablizzard?
Severewinterstormthatpackacombinationofblowingsnowandwindresultinginlowvisibilty
2. Listsomeofthedangersofblizzards.
Whiteout,windchills
3. WhatdowecallablizzardthatmovesuptheeastcoastfromtheMidAtlantictoNewEngland?
Noreaster
4. ScrolldowntoKeepAheadoftheStorm
Whatdoesitmeanifeachofthefollowingisissued:
WinterStormWatchseverewinterconditionsarecoming
WinterStormWarningseverewinterconditionshavebegun
BlizzardWarningsnowandstrongwindscreatingzerovisibility

CreateACaneGame
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/games/canelab.htm
CreateACanePostGameQuestion

1. Whatistheidealwindspeedforahurricane?
low

2. Whatistheidealtemperatureforahurricane?
26.5degreesC

3. Whatistheideallatitudeforahurricane?
5degrees30degreesNorth

4. Whatistheidealmoistureforahurricane?
Verymoist

5. Whatisneededtocreateatropicaldepressionintheocean?
TropicalDisturbance