Eye of the Storm Genre: Nonfiction

Meet the Author Stephen Kramer Stephen Kramer is the author of The Dark Zone and other science books for young readers. He teaches fifth grade near Vancouver, Washington, where he lives with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, he's learning to play the bagpipes!

Warren Faidley Meet the Photographer Warren Faidley is the world's only full-time storm-chasing photographer and journalist. He often talks about severe weather on television and radio and also worked on the movie Twister. His "Storms" calendar is so popular that it sells out every year.

Key Vocabulary

collide Verb: coming together, usually unexpectedly

funnel cloud Noun: A rotating funnel-shaped Cloud forming the core of a tornado or waterspout.

jagged Adjective: With rough, sharp points coming out

lightning Noun: The occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground

praries Noun: A large open area of grassland

severe Adjective: Very great or very intense

sizzling Verb: very hot, can make a hissing sound.

tornadoes Noun: A mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud

But you do not need to document in your Vocabulary Book More Words to Know But you do not need to document in your Vocabulary Book

saguaros Saguaros grow very tall in the desert.

conditions Tornadoes form when conditions are right.

occupation Tornado chasers have an exciting occupation.

updraft The updraft trunk of a supercell storm can look like stacked plates.

vortices These vortices are created by whirling air.

multivortex A multivortex tornado is a scary sight.

fortunate You are fortunate if you have never experienced a multivortex tornado.

Reviewing Vocabulary

occupation saguaros rotate lightning tornadoes updraft collide fortunate

sizzling severe prairies vortices funnel cloud jagged multivortex conditions

To find out more about tornadoes... right click here.