SevereWeather:Tornadoes,Hurricanes,ThunderstormsandBlizzards

WEBSITE:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/
Onceyougettothissite,clickonTornadoes
TORNADOES
Step1:Whenthenumber1isdark.Readtheinformationabouttornadoesinthegrayboxandanswerthe
followingquestions.Youmayhavetoscrolldowntoseealloftheinformation.
1. Whatisatornado?
Aviolentlyrotatingcolumnofairthatextendsfromthunderstormstotheground.
2. Whichstatehasthemosttwistersperyear?Howmany?Texas120
Step2:Clickonthe#2.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whataresupercells?
Largethunderstormsthathavewindsalreadyinrotation
2. WheredomosttornadoesinAmericaoccur?Tornadoally,texastoNebraska

3. Whydomosttornadoesoccurinthelateafternoon?Becausethesunhasfullyheatedtheground
Clickonthenextbuttontozoomintoseeatornado.
4. Whendotornadoesform?
Warmhumidaircollideswithcold,dryair
5. Whatisanupdraft?Warmairrisesthroughcoldaircausingit,itrotatesifwindsarereallysharp
andthedirection

6. Whywoulditstarttorotate?
Becauseitdrawsinwarmair
7. Beforethestormturnsintoatornado,whattypeofclouddoesitbecome?
Funnelcloud
Step3:Clickonthe#3.Readtheinformationinthegraybox,andanswerthefollowingquestions.
1. Whattypeofweatheraccompaniestornadoes?
Thunderstorms,rain,humid

Clickonseetornadodamageatthebottomofthetext.
2. HowdoestheFujitascalemeasuretornadointensity?
Itmostofthetimemeasureswindspeedbutcanalsomeasurepathofdestructionetc.
MovearoundtheFujitascaletoseetheeffectstornadoesofdifferentintensitieshave.
Clickonthe#4toseeavideoofatornadopassing.
Clickonthe#5toanswerthefollowingquestion.Youwillhavetoscrolldowntoanswerthequestion.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenatornadowatchandatornadowarning?
Tornadowatchisjustwhenpossibleconditionsforatornadooccur,buttheyarentsureyet.Tornadowarningis
whenyouresurethereisatornadoandhavetogettocoverimmediately.
Clickon#6tomakeatornado.
1.Whatconditionsareperfectformakingatornado?
Darkgreenishskies,toweringwallofclouds,largehailstones
HURRICANES
Now,youaremovingontohurricanes.Clickonthehurricanesymbolabovethenumbers,andbegin.
1. Howmanymphmustwindsbegoinginorderforatropicalstormtobeahurricane?
74mph
2. Wheredohurricanesform?
Atlanticoreasternpacificocean
Wheredocyclonesform?
BayofBengalnorthernindianocean
Wheredotyphoonsform?
Westernpacific
Clickon#2,andreadtheinformation.Clickthenextbuttonwhenyouaredone.
1.DoestheeyeofthehurricanehaveHIGHorLOWpressure?
low

2. Wherearethemostviolentwindsinthehurricane?
Thecenter
Clickonthe#3.
1. Inthenorthernhemisphere,hurricanesalwaysturnhow?
Counterclockwise
2. Inthesouthernhemisphere,theyalwaysturnhow?
clockwise
Playwiththeimageofthehurricanetoseea3Dimage.
Clickonthe#4.

1. Alloftherainfromhurricanescancausewhattooccur?
Floods,flashfloods,andlandslides
2.Whatisastormsurge?
Riseinsealevel
Clickonthe#5.
Readtheinformation,andwatchthevideo.
Clickonthe#6.
1. Whatisthedifferencebetweenahurricanewatchandahurricanewarning?
Hurricanewatchispossibleconditionsofahurricane.Ahurricanewarningisadefinitefactthata
hurricaneiscomingsoitstowarnyou.
Clickonthe#7.
Create5hurricanes.
1. Whichonecreatesthemostdamage?Whatfactors?
Number1,highhumidity,warmwaters,lowpressure
2.Whichonecreatestheleastdamage?Whatfactors?
Number3,highhumidiy,warmwaters,lowpressure
THUNDERSTORMS
Gotohttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tstorms/ingredient.htm
1. Listthe3ingredientsnecessaryforathunderstorm.
2.
3.
4.

Moisture,
Instability, and
a lifting mechanism

5. ClickonLifecycleofaThunderstorm.Takenotesoneachofthethreestages.

ToweringCumulusStage

MatureCumulusStage

A cumulus cloud begins to grow vertically, perhaps to a height of 20,000 feet (6 km). Air within the cloud is dominated by updraft with
some turbulent eddies around the edges

The storm has considerable depth, often reaching 40,000 to 60,000 feet (12 to 18 km). Strong updrafts and downdrafts coexist. This is
the most dangerous stage when large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding may occur

DissipatingStage

The downdraft cuts off the updraft. The storm no longer has a supply of warm moist air to maintain itself and therefore it dissipates.
Light rain and weak outflow winds may remain for a while during this stage, before leaving behind just a remnant anvil top.

6. Whataresomeofthepotentialhazardsofthunderstorms?
Hail,damagingwinds,flashflood,tornados

BLIZZARDS
Gotohttp://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm
1. HowdoestheNationalWeatherServicedefineablizzard?
Severewinterstorms,blowingsnowandwind
2. Listsomeofthedangersofblizzards.
Traveling,strongwinds,coldtemperatures,poweroutages
3. WhatdowecallablizzardthatmovesuptheeastcoastfromtheMidAtlantictoNewEngland?
Noreaster
4. ScrolldowntoKeepAheadoftheStorm
Whatdoesitmeanifeachofthefollowingisissued:
WinterStormWatch
Severewinterconditions,heavysnowand/orice
Preparenow!
WinterStormWarning
Severwinterconditionshavebegunorareabouttobegininyourarea.Stayindoors!
BlizzardWarning
Snowandstrongwindswillcombinetoproduceblindingsnow,deepdrifts,andlifethreateningwind
chill.Seekrefugeimmediately!

CreateACaneGame
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/games/canelab.htm
CreateACanePostGameQuestion
1. Whatistheidealwindspeedforahurricane?
75200
2. Whatistheidealtemperatureforahurricane?
Watermustbe79f
3. Whatistheideallatitudeforahurricane?
820degrees
4. Whatistheidealmoistureforahurricane?
low

5. Whatisneededtocreateatropicaldepressionintheocean?
Thunderstorms,andeventhenitdoesntalwaysform