MR. ANDREW - ROOM
22
WEATHER PAGE
In sixth grade students will be introduced to many amazing types of weather. Here a few of the many types we will be studying this year during the Earth Science strand of the science curriculum. Take some time to browse each link to learn more
Tornados - A tornado can form when conflicting winds collide and create violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel shaped cloud that progresse over land.
Tornadoes have struck every U.S. state, including Alaska and Hawaii. But most tornadoes form in a belt from Nebraska southward through central Texas known as Tornado Alley and in the Southeast. Wind speeds in tornadoes can vary from 72 to almost 300 mph. Fortunately, only 2 percent of all tornadoes have winds greater than 200 mph.
Hurricanes -
Maximum sustained winds must
exceed 64 knots (74 mph) in order to be classified as a hurricane.
Hurricanes are classified into different categories according to the
Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricanes can also spawn severe weather such
as tornadoes as they move inland.
Hurricanes and other cyclones that form in the tropics during summer are very different from the extratropical storms that often form during winter even though both may produce very strong winds and possible flooding.
Lightning -
Lightning occurs when one cloud
discharges a huge excess of negative electrons to another. This
results in atmospheric electricity; if the charge is free it can move
for the cloud to the Earth or other objects.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wlightn0.htm
Lightning flashes are about one inch in diameter. The large area of brightly-lit clouds in this image is caused by two factors. One reason is the illumination of a large number of raindrops and cloud droplets within the cloud. Second, the original photo is somewhat brightly exposed, and it became brighter when the photo was converted to computer graphics.
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