Teachers Students

Projected AudienceLearning EnvironmentObjectivesState StandardsIndexInformation

History of TornadoesInteresting Facts

ApplicationMagnetic Simulator VideoMaking a Tornado Tube

EvaluationQuiz

The targeted audience for this slide show is Grade 5.These students will have:

Knowledge of tornadoesWhat they are capable ofHeard of Fujita scale but does not know the detailsMay have experienced a tornado first handHave seen tornadoes in the media (news, movies, television, or pictures)

Class Room SettingComputer Lab

Internet ReadyStable EnvironmentQuietHands-on Experience Area

For tornado tube

By the end of this slide show the student should be able to:

Tell about the history and the making of the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita Scale Tell about the different categories of a tornado and what that meansKnow some interesting facts about tornadoesMake a tornado tubeComplete the evaluation quiz without difficulty

One of the grand success stories of science is the unification of the physical universe. It turns out that all natural objects, events, and processes are connected to each other. This standard contains recommendations for basic knowledge about the overall structure of the universe and the physical principles on which it seems to run, with emphasis on Earth and the solar system. This standard focuses on two principle subjects: the structure of the universe and the major processes that have shaped the planet Earth, and the concepts with which science describes the physical world in general - organized under the headings of Matter and Energy and Forces of Nature.

To ResourcesTo Resources

Facts About TornadoesInteresting facts in 2009Various PhotographsTen Deadliest Tornadoes in U.S. HistoryTornadoes in the MediaTornado Video ClipsTornado Tube Activity

ApplicationEvaluationEvaluationEvaluation

ApplicatioApplicationn

What is a TornadoA tornado is…How does a tornado formWhere do tornadoes occurWhere is Tornado AlleyTornado Track Map for 2008Number of tornadoes 2001-PresentPercentages of tornadoes by Fujita Ranking

History of TornadoesOldest known PhotographCreation of Fujita ScaleInside the Fujita ScaleCreation of Enhanced Fujita ScaleInside the Enhanced Fujita

What is a What is a TornadoTornado

Facts about Facts about TornadoesTornadoes

History of History of TornadoesTornadoes

Exploring how, when, where a tornado forms

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Violently rotating funnel of airNatures’ most violent natural disasterWide range of destructionLeast understood natural disasterCan be any size or shapeCan happen at any time of the yearCan happen anywhere

Tornado Destruction by National Geographic:

Rotating funnel of airNatures’ most violent natural disasterVery DestructiveLeast understood natural phenomena (impressive event)Can be any size or shapeCan happen at any time of the yearCan happen anywhere

TexasTexas

KansasKansasNebraskaNebraska

OklahomaOklahoma ArkansasArkansas

IllinoisIllinois

IndianaIndiana MissouriMissouri

ColoradoColorado

IowaIowa

South South DakotaDakota

North North DakotaDakota LouisianaLouisiana

There was a total of 8836 tornadoes in the United States from 2001-2007.168 of those were in Indiana. That is only 2% of the countries tornadoesAs of February 19th 2009 there had been a total of 21 tornadoes recorded for the year.

This Chart shows the percentage of tornadoes for each Fujita category. The percentages have been figured from the total number of tornadoes that took place from 2001-2008. As you may see there are rarely any F4 or F5 Tornadoes.

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Charts, Graphs, and Facts about the history of tornadoes

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An unknown photographer inspired legions of tornado-chasers when he captured the earliest known photograph of a tornado. The black-and-white image was taken

on August 28, 1884, about 22 miles southwest of Howard, South Dakota.

Created by Dr. T. Theodore FujitaFirst introduced in the SMRP Research Paper, "Proposed Characterization of Tornadoes and Hurricanes by Area and Intensity". Dr. Fujita wanted to categorize each tornado by intensity and area.

System made to define every tornado that occurs in the United States.The scale was divided into six categories:

F0 (Gale)F1 (Weak)F2 (Strong)F3 (Severe)F4 (Devastating)F5 (Incredible)

SCALEWIND

ESTIMATE *** (MPH)

TYPICAL DAMAGE

F0 < 73 Light damage. Some damage to chimneys; branches broken off trees; shallow-rooted trees pushed over; sign boards damaged.

F1 73-112 Moderate damage. Peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos blown off roads.

F2 113-157Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars overturned; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated; cars lifted off ground.

F3 158-206Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off the ground and thrown.

F4 207-260 Devastating damage. Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown away some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.

F5 261-318Incredible damage. Strong frame houses leveled off foundations and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters (109 yards); trees debarked; incredible phenomena will occur.

Scientists including Dr. Fujita knew the scale needed to be updatedStarted working on the updates in the Early 90’sNew scale categorizes more by wind speed less by damageAllows those tornadoes with no damage to be categorized higher than an F0.

EF Number 3 Second Gust (mph)

0 65-851 86-1102 111-135

3 136-165

4 166-200

5 Over 200To To

IndexIndex

Facts, videos, photos of past tornadoes

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As of March 9, 2009:83 reported tornadoes42 confirmed tornadoes9 deaths

The worst tornado of the year took place February 10th

F4 in Lone Grove, OklahomaKilled 8 peopleInjured 46 moreDestroyed 114 homesDeadliest tornado since may 3, 1999Strongest during February since 1950 in Oklahoma

1. March 18, 1925• F5• Hit Missouri, Illinois, Indiana• Nicknamed the Tristate Tornado• 695 dead• 3.5 hours on the ground• 1.4 billion in damage• Single deadliest in US History• 9 tornadoes total in outbreak that caused 747

deaths

2. May 7, 1840• Most likely F5

• No Fujita scale so uncategorized• Natchez, Mississippi• Nicknamed “The great Natchez tornado”• 317 dead• 1 mile wide• Actual death toll listed at 48 land 269 in river

• Number disputed due to pre civil war- slave deaths not counted in death toll

• Damages unknown

3. May 27, 1896• F4

• Rated later after Fujita Scale had been created• St. Louis, Missouri• Nicknamed “The Great Cyclone of St. Louis”• 284+ dead (43 on record due to pre-civil war era)• 3.4 billion in damages

4/5. April 5-6, 1936• Two tornadoes part of the

same outbreak• Tupelo/Gainesville Tornado

Outbreak• Tupelo, Mississippi-F5• Gainesville, Georgia-F4• 436 dead• 17 total tornadoes in outbreak• 13 billion in damages in

Gainesville alone• Damage unknown in Tupelo

6. April 9, 1947• Woodward, Oklahoma• Unrated• Damage track over 2 miles wide• Destroyed 100 city blocks• 9.7 billion in damages• 181 dead

7. April 24, 1908• Amite, Louisiana and Purvis,

Mississippi• 143 dead from single tornado• 150 mile track• Later ranked an F4• Part of an outbreak that had

16 total tornadoes• Total of 324 lives lost

8. June 12, 1899• New Richmond, Wisconsin• F5• 117 Dead• $14 Million in Damages• Originated as a waterspout

on Lake St. Croix• More people than usual in

area due to Gollmar Brothers Circus in town

9. June 8, 1953• Flint, Michigan• 116 dead• F5• Named the Beecher

Tornado• 27 mile Track

10. May 11, 1953• 114 dead• Waco, Texas• F5• Named the Lubbock Tornado• $41 Million in Damages

Positive MediaNews

Warnings to allow us time to get to safetyAwareness of possible dangers

National GeographicGives us knowledge of how tornadoes workHelps us prepare better for future tornadoes

Storm ChasersHelps us learn more about tornadoes

Negative MediaMovies

TwisterPortrays the worst possibilities for the outcome of tornadoes

NewsMakes some people live in fear of the possible dangers

Storm ChasersDangerous for those out there studying the tornadoes

F5 Tornado-In Oklahoma tornado May 3rd, 1999

Unedited tornado footage from weather photographer Jim Reed.

May 8, 2008 in Kansas

#5 .... Highway overpasses do not protect you during a tornado.#4 .... Opening windows will not reduce air pressure to save a roof, or even a home, from destruction by a tornado.#3 .... Large cities cannot be struck by a tornado. #2 .... Some towns are "protected!“#1 .... During a tornado the safest place in a home is in the southwest corner of the basement.

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Tornado Creation Tornado Creation DemonstrationDemonstration

Tornado TubeTwo waysUse a tornado tube bottle connectorPlace a washer between two (2) empty 2 Litter bottles tape well as to prevent leakingShake bottle as indicated in picture below

To IndexTo Index

Back to Back to IndexIndex

What is the range of the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita Scale?

A.A.

B.B.

C.C.

DD..

F0-F4

F1-F5

F1-F4

F0-F5

Where did the worst tornado in U.S. History occur?

A.A.

B.B.

C.C.

DD..

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama

Missouri, Illinois, Indiana

Wisconsin

Oklahoma

How many Tornadoes occurred in the U.S. 2008?

A.A.

B.B.

C.C.

DD..

1,817

1,092

1,636

1,376

What was the percentage of F5 tornadoes for 2001-2008?

A.A.

B.B.

C.C.

DD..

2%

1%

10%

0%

How many tornadoes touched down in Indiana from 2001 to 2007?

A.A.

B.B.

C.C.

DD..

350

168

57

135