Tornadoes

This passage describes how tornadoes develop.

Lexile Level: 1150L

Categories: Science & Technology Animals & Nature

You're probably familiar with the loud beeping sound on the TV when the Emergency Broadcast System announces a tornado watch. Tornados mostly occur in the United States due to our unique landscape, but they also occur in other countries throughout the world. A tornado is a spinning column of air connected to a cumulonimbus cloud and the earth. Most tornados are shaped like ice cream cones with the tip pointing toward the ground. They have wind speeds of 112 miles per hour and are usually 250 feet across. Some travel for about a mile before they dissolve, but many have been known to travel as far as twelve miles.