Can I compare the creation and effects of hurricanes and tornadoes?

Name: ……………………………………… Date:………………………………………………

Differences of a hurricane Differences of a tornado

Similarities
between hurricane
and tornado
 Hurricane
A hurricane is an extremely large, destructive storm that is comprised of winds

The Difference Between exceeding 74 miles per hour. They generally begin over water (especially the western
Atlantic) and lose power once they move over land. They are usually accompanied by

Tornadoes & Hurricanes rain, thunder, and lightning. Their strength is measured from 1 to 5 on a scale called the
Saffir-Simpson scale.
Figure 1 A view of a hurricane from
space

Hurricane and Tornado Formation

A hurricane forms over tropical oceans in which the water is at least 27 degrees
Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit). Warm, moist air rising into the upper troposphere
and driven by strong tropical winds creates low pressure at sea level. Air from the
surroundings rushes in to equalize the pressure and also rises, while cold air from the
top of the weather system drops, eventually producing the characteristic round,
spiralling shape of the storm. A tornado forms over land in large thunderstorm clouds.
The funnel-shaped cloud that eventually touches down as a tornado is the result of
horizontal wind shear between two different pressure areas in the cloud.
Figure 2: A tornado picture taken by a tornado chaser Jason Persoff
Tornado VS Hurricane
Tornadoes and hurricanes are both destructive storms involving high winds. They differ
mainly in size (with hurricanes being much larger) and location. Tornadoes occur mainly
over land, whereas hurricanes begin over the ocean.

Both are destructive storms that rotate clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counter-
clockwise in the northern hemisphere. Tornadoes occur on all continents except
Antarctica whereas hurricanes occur only in the North Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific
Ocean. Tornadoes occur far more frequently (several thousand per year) than hurricanes
(10-15 per year). Hurricanes can last several days, whereas tornadoes only last several
minutes. Figure 1: Hurricane structures

Tornado
A tornado is a violent storm comprised of extremely strong winds spiraling around a
central point in a funnel-shaped cloud. They move at 30-40 miles per hour with winds
reaching over 300 miles per hour near the center. They are generally narrow in diameter
compared with other storms, so their destruction is confined to a narrow path. Tornadoes
often occur in groups. Tornado strength is measured on the Fujita scale. Figure 4: Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons on the world map
 Can I compare the creation and effects of hurricanes and tornadoes?
Name: ……………………………………… Date:………………………………………………

Differences of a hurricane Differences of a tornado

Similarities
between hurricane
and tornado

-Almost always form over land -Most last only a few minutes -Can last for many days -Winds are much faster

-Floods and high waves -Usually hundreds of meters across -Forms over an ocean -Forms within a single thunderstorm

-Is a strong storm -Can be hundreds of kilometres across -Have high winds and can cause great damage -Natural disaster
Can I compare the creation and effects of hurricanes and tornadoes?
Name: ……………………………………… Date:………………………………………………
Differences of a hurricane Differences of a tornado

-Forms over an ocean -Almost always form over land

Similarities
between hurricane
-Can be hundreds of kilometres across and tornado -Usually hundreds of meters across

-Can last for many days -Is a strong storm

-Most last only a few minutes
-Have high winds
and can cause
-floods and high waves -Winds are much faster
great damage
-Natural disaster
-Forms within a single thunderstorm