Name: ___________________________ Date: ______ Block: _____

Severe Weather: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Thunderstorms and Blizzards

WEBSITE:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/04/forcesofnature/resources/

TORNADOES

What Is A Tornado?
Click on the Tornado symbol at the top. Scroll down until you see What is
a Tornado?
1. What is a tornado?

2. Which state has the most twisters per year? How many?

What Causes A Tornado?

Scroll down.
1. What are supercells?

2. Where do most tornadoes in America occur?

3. When do tornadoes form?

4. Why would it start to rotate?

5. Before the storm turns into a tornado, what type of cloud does it
become?

Characteristics Of Tornados
Scroll down.
1. What type of weather accompanies tornadoes?

2. How does the Fujita scale measure tornado intensity?

3. How are most people injured during a tornado?

How Are Tornadoes Forecasted? THUNDERSTORMS
Scroll down to answer the following question.
Go to http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado
warning? 1. List the 3 ingredients necessary for a thunderstorm.

2. Scroll to the bottom and click on Life cycle of a Thunderstorm.

Take notes on each of the three stages.

Towering Cumulus Stage-

HURRICANES

Now, you are moving on to hurricanes. Go back, then click on the

hurricane symbol above the numbers, and begin.
Mature Cumulus Stage-
1. Where do hurricanes form?

Where do cyclones form?

Where do typhoons form? Dissipating Stage

How are hurricanes formed?

1. How many mph must winds be going in order for a tropical storm to
be a hurricane?
3. What are some of the potential hazards of thunderstorms?

2. Does the eye of the hurricane have HIGH or LOW pressure?

3. Where are the most violent winds in the hurricane?

A Damaging Storm

1. What can heavy rain from hurricanes cause?

2. (ctrl+click storm surge) What is a storm surge?

3. What is the difference between a hurricane watch and a

hurricane warning?