tornado
Let an agent explain tornadoes and their forms, relay formation, rating, forecasting and climatology from meteorological agencies, describe the forms the registry aliases name, and distinguish tornadoes from dust devils, gustnadoes, downbursts and hurricanes, routing live warnings to official alerts and shelter first.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain tornadoes and their forms, relay formation, rating, forecasting and climatology from meteorological agencies, describe the forms the registry aliases name, and distinguish tornadoes from dust devils, gustnadoes, downbursts and hurricanes, routing live warnings to official alerts and shelter first.
A rapidly rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground, the most violent of atmospheric vortices, rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale by damage, in forms including multiple-vortex tornadoes, satellite tornadoes orbiting a larger one, rare anticyclonic tornadoes rotating opposite to the usual direction, skipping tornadoes that lift and touch down, and landspouts and waterspouts that form over land or water often without a rotating parent storm. People under a tornado warning should follow official alerts and move to shelter immediately.
What it is for: Not applicable; a weather phenomenon.
It can be route live warnings first; explain formation and forms; relay rating and forecasting; distinguish related phenomena.
Distinguishing features
Ground-contact vortex
Thunderstorm related
Damage-based rating
Short warning times
What it looks like
A funnel or debris cloud connecting a storm base to the ground.
Physical character
US tornadoes per year: about 1200 count - average
Enhanced Fujita scale: EF0 to EF5 note - since 2007 in US
highest measured winds: about 480 km/h - Bridge Creek-Moore, 1999, radar
typical lifetime: minutes to over an hour note
How it is recognised
Violently rotating column of air reaching the ground
Multiple-vortex, satellite, anticyclonic and skipping tornadoes; landspouts; waterspouts
Dust devils form in fair weather; gustnadoes are gust-front whirls; downbursts are straight-line winds; hurricanes are large cyclones
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - in registry terms
is rated by -
often forms from - thunderstorms
In practice
Families and kinds
supercell tornadoes
multiple-vortex and satellite tornadoes
anticyclonic tornadoes
landspouts
waterspouts
tornado outbreaks
Standards and regulation
National weather service watch and warning systems
Building codes and safe room standards such as FEMA P-361
Failure modes and hazards
Ignoring warnings
Debris injuries and structural collapse
Confusing tornadoes with other windstorms
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.tornado
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a tornado is.
Science.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a tornado, and how does it differ from dust devils, gustnadoes, downbursts and hurricanes? definition
- Is there a tornado warning now, in which case the user should follow official alerts and take shelter immediately? boundary
Forms
Forms.
Forms
Forms.
- What are multiple-vortex, satellite, anticyclonic and skipping tornadoes, landspouts and waterspouts? definition
- Which entry fits the specific form? action
Science Science.
Science.
Formation
Formation.
Formation
Formation.
- How do supercells and other storms produce tornadoes, and what remains unknown? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Rating
Rating and measurement.
Rating
Rating.
- How are tornadoes rated on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales and measured by radar? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Safety Safety.
Regulation.
Warnings
Watches and warnings.
Warnings
Warnings.
- What do tornado watches and warnings mean, and how are they issued? provenance
- Which entry fits severe weather warning? action
Shelter
Shelter guidance.
Shelter
Shelter.
- What shelter guidance do official agencies give for homes, schools and vehicles? provenance
- Which entry fits storm shelter? action
Context Climatology and history.
Context.
Climate
Climatology.
Climate
Climate.
- Where do tornadoes occur worldwide, and what do studies say about trends, with findings attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits Tornado Alley? action
History
Notable events.
History
History.
- What are notable tornadoes and outbreaks, such as the 1974 Super Outbreak? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific event? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should waterspout and landspout be separate primary entries?
- How should meteorological agency sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming forms; should they be split off?