Imagine a violent spinning cloud of dust and debris with wind speeds reaching 300 mph. With capabilities of ripping apart most any structure in their path, tornadoes are violent thunderstorms gone awry. Will you know how to be safe in the event of a tornado? How can you recognize a tornado?
Tornadoes are Deadly
According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes kill 60 people per year on average. Most of the deaths are not due to the rotating winds, but it is the debris rotating inside the tornado. Chunks of flying debris can be carried many miles away as lighter material is lifted high into the atmosphere.
300 mph Winds - A Big Deal?
Wind speeds in a tornado are higher than wind speeds in a hurricane. Hurricane wind speeds in a category 5 hurricane are sustained winds over 155 mph. That is almost double for a tornado which can exceed 300mph! Hurricanes produce far more property damage though because they are spread over much larger areas.
