Tornadoes are the destructive weather phenomena that occur in different parts of the world. These storms can be seen as a mile away and as such they cause a lot of damage to homes, property and people. Tornadoes can come in different forms; there are those that are very small and may look like a dust storm and those that look like large brownish whirlwinds. Tornadoes can last for just a few minutes or even for hours. The damage that they cause is huge. Tornadoes are very destructive and the death toll is not too small either.
Summary Table
Twister | Tornado |
A rotating funnel cloud | A violently rotating column of air |
Caused by a combination of a warm air mass and a strong wind | Caused by low pressure areas in the atmosphere |
Not as destructive | Very destructive |
Tornadoes can also be described as an artificial storm in the sky, because they are very large and cause massive destruction. If you live in an area where tornadoes are a common occurrence, you might have seen one on a regular basis. There are those that say that tornadoes can be spotted as far as a mile away and as such you might have noticed a tornado a few times.
So, tornadoes are a common occurrence and as such you might have seen one on a regular basis. But what about a twister? Do you know the difference between a tornado and a twister? What are the correlations between the two?
In this article, we will try to answer all your questions about the difference between a tornado and a twister. We will try to cover everything you might want to know about these two different phenomena. We will look at the similarities and differences between these two weather phenomena, and compare them with the possible reasons for the differences.
What is a Twister?
A twister is a rotating column of air that develops into a funnel cloud. The funnel cloud develops into a tornado when the updraft, which is the rising air, reaches a certain height.
The reason why the air column in a twister is called a funnel cloud is because of the shape of the column. The funnel cloud is usually an elongated column of air that looks like a tube or cone, hence the name “funnel cloud”.
What is a Tornado?
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air, in which the wind speed can reach up to 200 miles per hour. A tornado can touch down on the ground and last for only a few minutes. Tornadoes are caused by low pressure areas in the atmosphere, and most of them occur in warm moist air. The central part of a tornado is called the eye, which is usually surrounded by a dust cloud or debris cloud.
In order to be classified as a tornado, there should be wind speeds over 74 miles per hour. These winds can reach up to 200 miles per hour and often more than 300 miles per hour. A tornado that touches down on the ground will have winds that are around 120 miles per hour or higher. It will also last for about 1-2 minutes before it dissipates completely into a pile of dust and debris known as a debris cloud. The strength of tornadoes can vary from weak tornadoes to violent tornadoes depending on many factors such as environmental conditions, terrain, direction of movement, proximity to other thunderstorms and other meteorological factors.
The strongest tornadoes are known as violent tornadoes. These are the ones that cause the most damage. Violent tornadoes can be incredibly destructive and can destroy entire buildings and even cause deaths. In order to classify a tornado as violent, it must have wind speeds over 200 miles per hour.
Tornadoes occur all over the world. The most tornadoes occur in the central and southern United States. There are many other places in the world where tornadoes can occur, such as Canada, China, and South America. The most dangerous tornadoes occur in the central and southern United States.
When a tornado occurs, there are often a number of other weather conditions present. The weather conditions that usually accompany a tornado are thunderstorms, rain, strong winds, and lightning. Tornadoes often occur in areas where there is a lot of moisture in the air. Tornadoes usually occur in the spring and early summer months when there is a lot of humidity in the air. Tornadoes also tend to occur in areas where there is a lot of land and water close together.
How are They Related?
There are many similarities between a tornado and a twister. Let’s take a look at them.
- Both are characterized by the appearance of a funnel cloud.
Tornadoes and twisters both form a funnel cloud that is usually surrounded by a dust or debris cloud. This dust or debris cloud is often associated with the appearance of an ear shaped or mushroom shaped cloud. These are sometimes known as condensation funnels.
- Both are associated with thunderstorms.
Both tornadoes and twisters are caused by thunderstorms. A tornado is caused by a low pressure area in the atmosphere, while a twister is caused by high pressure areas in the atmosphere. These high pressure areas usually occur when there is no wind. As such, twisters can be more common during calm conditions.
- Both are associated with the rotation of air.
Both tornadoes and twisters are caused by the rotation of air. The spinning motion of the air in a tornado or twister is caused by high wind speeds, which are generated by low pressure areas in the atmosphere. The rotation of air generates strong winds that cause damage to property and even kill people.
What are the Differences?
There are many differences between a tornado and a twister. Let’s look at some of the major differences between these two weather phenomena.
- The Definitions
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air, in which the wind speed can reach up to 200-300 miles per hour. A twister is a rotating funnel cloud, a visible cloud-like formation in the sky which is formed by a strong wind. The clouds of dust and debris which are sometimes formed around a twister are called a debris cloud.
- The Causes
A tornado is caused by low pressure areas in the atmosphere, and most of them occur in warm moist air. This is why most tornadoes occur in the spring and summer.
A twister is caused by a combination of a warm air mass and a strong wind. A twister can also occur anywhere on Earth, although it is more common in the Northern Hemisphere.
- The Damage
Tornadoes are very destructive, and can cause damage to both people and property. This is because tornadoes are powerful, fast moving winds, which can cause considerable damage to buildings and trees. The main areas affected by tornadoes are usually in the form of large areas of heavy damage.
Twisters are not as destructive as tornadoes, but they can still cause considerable damage. This is because twisters are small, weak tornadoes which are formed when there is a combination of high winds and low pressure. The damage caused by twisters is usually concentrated in a small area, and the wind speed of the twister is usually very low.