Jessica Winn, NIU STEAM Educator
There’s an age-old saying, “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.” Storms in the spring are intense! In this episode of Winning Ideas, let’s better understand where tornados come from, how they are classified and what to do when you hear the siren sound.
Are you the standard Midwesterner – the tornado siren sounds, and you RUN, not to your basement as they recommend, but to your garage to get a better look at the storm? You might be saying to your family something to the tone of, “Whoa – look at those dark clouds!” or “Did you see that lightning strike? That was a good one!” Or you’ve got your phone out recording the storm as it traipses by your house. Well, not me! I am not originally from the Midwest so when the sky threatens to eat you – I take cover!
Here in the Midwest, we are fortunate that tornado sirens are tested regularly, and we learn what that sound means. But sometimes tornados can strike before a warning can go out. If you are at home or on vacation where sirens might not be around, it’s important to be aware of the weather, especially in months when tornados are common, like spring. When it comes to the signs mother nature gives, there are four clear warnings on when to seek shelter. First, look at the clouds during a thunderstorm. Tornado clouds will often be very dark or appear purple or green in the sky before a strike. Second, clouds may feel like they are sitting lower than normal, or they appear very close. Third, hail is a common side effect of tornados as the weather is mixing warm and cold causing a difference in temperatures from ground to sky. Finally, you may hear a very loud sound, like a freight train barreling towards you at a rapid rate. If any of these things are happening – seek shelter, you are likely in the path of an oncoming tornado.
Some of you may be asking, why are tornados so much more common in the spring than in any other season? Also, how are they classified? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tornados form when temperatures on land and in the sky are drastically different. For a tornado to form there needs to be warm, wet air closer to the ground and drier, colder air in the sky. Those two things alone don’t start the tornado, but they are the key ingredients to create an unstable atmosphere. When you add in the wind, the weather is primed for a tornado. The warm air tries to rise while the cool air tries to settle, when you add in wind as a factor, you can start to see rotations of the drafts (the warm air going up and the cold air coming down), potentially forming a tornado funnel. NOAA states that tornados are, “violently rotating columns of air, extending from a thunderstorm, which are in contact with the ground.”
When it comes to classifications of tornadoes, the United States uses the Fujita Scale. The Fujita Scale (EF Scale) is a way for scientists to measure severe storms and how much damage we predict they will cause. Tornados are ranked from EF 0 to EF 10. Most tornados we see are considered weak tornadoes (EF 0 – EF 3). They have wind speeds up to 100 mph and last only a few seconds. There are occasionally strong tornadoes (EF 4 – EF 7), which have wind speeds up to 200 mph and can last a few seconds to a minute. Finally, there are super rare tornadoes that are classified as violent tornadoes (EF 8 – EF 10). These happen very infrequently but cause the most amount of damage. They can have wind speeds up to 300 mph and last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes on end. Fortunately, violent, and even strong, tornadoes are not common. But, even if the tornado is considered a weak one, it’s still important to seek shelter. Basements are frequently suggested shelters because they are enclosed and typically have few windows. When a tornado becomes more violent, the shaking and blowing can cause windows to shatter and flying glass is always a problem. The goal is to find a safe place as close to the Earth as possible. Have water, snacks and batteries/external chargers ready to go in case an emergency strikes your home or school.
While we are imparting the importance of staying safe, it’s also really fun to learn about tornadoes with your class! Here are some weather-related activities across the grade bands:
- Kindergarten – 3rd grade: mimic a tornado with your students with a “Tornado in a Jar” activity; talk about what it means to be prepared for a tornado in their homes and work together to create a suggested list of things they would like to have if a tornado hits.
- 4th – 8th grade: Talk to your students about what creates the weather, then have them do a mini forecasting lesson. When they have grasped the idea, have them create their own weather forecast/broadcast video that explains a weather phenomenon. You can also have them research and create a poster on how to predict a tornado.
- High School: In a physics, environmental, or biology class, you can have them do a movie comparison. Have them answer the following questions as they prepare a presentation: How real are the storms in movies? Select a famous movie that has a storm (Twister, Wizard of Oz, etc.) and mathematically/based on physics decide how realistic those movies are – what classification is the main storm in the movie; what is the wind speed expected? How long would they be? Finally, should we expect something like that to happen as the climate changes? Have them create a presentation about their findings.
No matter what grade you are in school or how old you are, tornados will continue to be a fact of life for Midwesterners, how you react to them and prepare is up to you! Just know – we always want you to be safe and healthy! Check the weather often, know where and how to take cover, and be ready for whatever mother nature has to offer.
Don’t forget to share your projects with us! Tag #NIUSTEAM and @NIUSTEAM for a chance to be featured in our weekly newsletter. And as always, do good things, be good people, and make yourself better than the day before.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, April 3). Staying safe in a Tornado. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/tornadosafety/index.html
Kirk, P. (2014). The tornado and storm research organisation (Torro). TORRO. https://www.torro.org.uk/research/tornadoes/tscale#:~:text=Tornadoes%20of%20strength%20T0%2C%20T1,T10%2C%20T11%20are%20violent%20tornadoes.
Tornadoes | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. (2013, August 1). https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/weather-atmosphere/tornadoes.