Difference between tornado and hurricane.

Emergencies such as natural disasters pose the greatest threat to all living things. They often appear completely out of the blue, taking a person by surprise. A tornado and a hurricane belong to the category of natural phenomena resulting from sudden changes in pressure in the atmosphere. Fortunately, most of us have not had to face the above elements. Therefore, their scale and destructive power are not known to everyone. In this article, we will tell you how a tornado differs from a hurricane.

Definitions

Tornado is an atmospheric vortex, arising in a thundercloud and descending. Often it reaches the very surface of the earth. It looks like a trunk or cloud sleeve, the diameter of which covers tens, and sometimes even hundreds of meters. Such a spontaneous phenomenon that forms over the water surface is often called a "tornado". But in general, there is no fundamental difference between the two definitions. Tornado and tornado are synonymous words. The very same term is derived from the Old Russian "smrch", which means "cloud". The longest-running disaster was recorded in the United States in 1917. In almost 7.5 hours, the whirlwind covered a distance of 500 km and caused the death of 110 people. Often, a tornado is hidden behind a layer of rain and dust, and therefore meteorologists cannot recognize it in time.

Tornado

Hurricane - the strongest wind, the speed of which can reach 120 kilometers per hour. The strength of the elements is determined on a 12-point scale. The scale of this natural phenomenon is comparable to an earthquake. It covers a huge territory and lasts for several days. According to the observations of scientists, hurricanes occur mainly at the end of summer. At this time, the already fairly heated water begins to evaporate intensively. Cold streams come from the bottom, giving rise to a vortex several tens of kilometers wide on the surface. Moreover, absolutely calm weather remains at the epicenter of the funnel, and the wind and storm are raging along the edges. Gradually, the hurricane is transferred to land, where it loses its strength over several days. In Russia, disasters of this magnitude were observed in Chukotka, Kamchatka and Sakhalin, as well as in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories.

Hurricane

Comparison

To begin with, we note that both phenomena under consideration represent a rapid movement of the wind in a certain direction. They can be safely called atmospheric vortices. However, if a tornado originates in the sky, then the hurricane originates in the sea. The funnel of the first does not exceed 3 km in diameter. The speed of movement of the elements is on average from 20 to 60 km per hour. As for the duration of the phenomenon, the maximum duration of its activity is only a few hours. A hurricane is a much larger disaster in terms of coverage of the territory. Moving at a speed of 120-200 km per hour, it strikes huge areas. The life cycle of a natural phenomenon is on average 9-12 days. The diameter of the epicenter of the element is from 5 to 20 km.

Perhaps the main difference between a tornado and a hurricane is the extent of its destruction. Despite the relatively small diameter of the funnel, the first phenomenon has an incredible power. It is capable of lifting up an object weighing several tons. An area of ​​extremely thin air is created in the center of the funnel. Objects caught in it, including houses, can simply explode from the inside. Nothing remains in the radius of the tornado's passage. Whereas at the epicenter of the hurricane there is the so-called eye - an area of ​​calm with moderate winds. While in it, a person may mistakenly think that the calamity has receded. However, at the moment the hurricane moves, the wind will play out with renewed vigor, while blowing in the opposite direction. It rips off roofs from houses, knocks out windows, lifts cars and other objects into the air, etc. Buildings often remain standing still.

To summarize, what is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane.

Table

Tornado Hurricane
It originates in the skyIt originates in the sea
The funnel does not exceed 3 km in diameterThe diameter of the "body" is from 5 up to 20 km
Moves at a speed of 20 to 60 km per hourMoves at a speed of 120-200 km per hour
Lasts several hoursThe average duration reaches 9-12 days
An area of ​​rarefied air is created in the center of the funnelAt the epicenter there is an “eye” - an area of ​​calm with moderate winds
Sweeps away everything in its pathLeaves behind quite serious, but not always critical destruction
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