How does a tornado start?

How does a tornado outbreak start ?

• My husband is from Tennessee but originally he's from Texas and he's been through lots of twisters and tornadoes. We live in Ohio now and I'm from south eastern Ohio and I have never been through a tornado but we get the rain and thunderstorm part of it and thank god we do because we're in a trailer on top of a hill a small trailer that doesn't even have a basement we have one hallway two bathrooms and a living room and a kitchen and a master bedroom but no basement and when we get a watch or a warning I get really scared cause I get them confused. But I don't get too scared because I have a husband to protect me and love me and during the thunderstorm we cuddle in bed and I usually fall asleep while he holds me. But I do freak out a little bit. I know the signs of tornadoes but I've never actually been through one and I hope we never do but I want to know where and how does a tornado outbreak get started ? And what's the difference between a watch and a warning ? How long does a tornado last ?

• Answer:

  It begins with atmospheric instability. The unstable air helps create severe storms. It takes a thunderstorm to produce a tornado. Thunderstorms are created when cold dry air from the north interacts with warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. Warm moist air rises as the cold dry air sinks. This can help create atmospheric instability. Supercell thunderstorms will often have storm scale rotation which is called mesocyclone. It is known that there is air underneath the storm that is rotating horizontally. When the updraft of the storm strengthens, with the help of inflow winds, the horizontal rotating air can be tilted into the vertical. If the rotation is strong enough, a lowering from the base of the storm cloud can form and make a wall cloud. Sometimes, the wall cloud can be rotating as well.If the updraft, downdraft, and rear flank downdraft are present, this can strengthen the rotation and can create a funnel cloud. If the rotation remains strong and eventually reaches the ground, then a tornado has formed. Tornado outbreaks are when these strong storms produce multiple tornadoes. The atmosphere is so unstable that it allows more storms to form or remain strong. Tornadoes can last from several minutes to an hour. Most, however, last only a few minutes. A tornado watch means that conditions are favorable for tornadic weather. This means that the storms show potential for producing tornadoes. A tornado warning means that a rotating wall cloud, funnel cloud or tornado has been sighted by trained spotters or has been indicated by doppler radar If the weather should get severe enough that you need to take shelter, remain calm. If possible get to the lowest level of the building/house and/or an interior room or area. This would be an area with no windows nor walls that share with the outside. Mobile homes/Double wides/Trailers are not safe places to be during a tornado or straight line winds. If you can, get to a sturdier building. If you can not get to a sturdier shelter, then find a low ditch or culvert and lay flat as can be face down. Do not try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Some tornadoes have been known to travel up to 70MPH. Remember, REMAIN CALM!