A tornado is a spinning funnel of air. A tornado forms when a funnel of warm air quickly rises from the earth, most of the time into a thundercloud. In North America, when cold dry air from the Rockies moves east onto a warm wet air mass flowing north, if strong winds set the upward moving cold air mass of air spinning, it can turn into a tornado. Tornadoes that are over water are called waterspouts, and tornadoes that are over the desert are called dust devils.
Tornadoes are known to pick up trees, cars, trucks, farm animals, and anything smaller. Tornado speeds can range from under one hundred mph to over three hundred. A tornado can move along the ground at 70 mph! There is a place in the center of the US called Tornado Ally. This area receives a lot of tornadoes.
If you happen to be caught in a tornado and you are outside: GET LOW!
If you happen to be caught in a tornado and you are indoors: Get in a windowless room, without a lot of large objects.
