Tornados vs. Hurricanes
WHAT DO HURRICANES AND TORNADOES HAVE IN COMMON? Low Pressure Strong Winds Hazardous to Life and Property
HOW DO THEY DIFFER? Location Size Duration Season of Occurrence Distinctive Hazards
WHEN DO THEY OCCUR? Hurricane season Tornado season Late Summer and Fall Tornado season Spring and Early Summer
Hurricanes form over warm (80 °F) tropical seas Latitude 7-15 degrees North and South of the equator Tornadoes form over land in the mid-latitudes
SIZE AND DURATION OF HURRICANES
HURRICANE DAMAGE High winds Torrential rains 75-125 mph Torrential rains Flash floods Storm surges as sea level rises
HURRICANE CLASSIFICATIONS Category One -- Winds 74-95 mph Category Two -- Winds 96-110 mph Category Three -- Winds 111-130 mph Category Four -- Winds 131-155 mph Category Five -- Winds greater than 155 mph
LOCATION OF TORNADOES Most common in the United States Plains States, Midwest, and Florida In advance of a cold front Embedded in hurricanes
SIZE AND DURATION OF TORNADOES Narrow intense storm 1/4 mile wide Path of 6 miles SW to NW
Tornado Hazards Wind Speed 40 – 300 mph Strong updraft in the funnel Explosions due to pressure contrast
Fujita Pearson Tornado Scale F-0: 40-72 mph, chimney damage, tree branches broken F-1: 73-112 mph, mobile homes pushed off foundation or overturned F-2: 113-157 mph, considerable damage, mobile homes demolished, trees uprooted F-3: 158-205 mph, roofs and walls torn down, trains overturned, cars thrown F-4: 207-260 mph, well-constructed walls leveled F-5: 261-318 mph, homes lifted off foundation and carried considerable distances, autos thrown as far as 100 meters