What are the factors that encourage a tornado touchdown?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Obviously, anything too tall might get hit just because the tail can reach it easily. But, is there anything that influences the path of a tornado?

[Drale]

1. Well thats an extremely complicated issue

that even the experts don't truly understand. But Tornado's generally travel north east and something tall is not going to be hit more then something small. The true path of a tornado is different storm by storm, but the formation of a tornado is caused by extreme winds in the atmosphere and high temps on the ground with cold temps in the atmosphere.

[scarletwoman]

2. Tornado touchdowns are encouraged by perky tornado cheerleaders in short skirts.

Sorry. I just couldn't help myself. :spank:

[LiberalLoner]

3. Or by Dorothy singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Sorry.) n/t

[scarletwoman]

5. We are both very bad people.

:evilfrown:

[Electric Monk]

4. Not praying hard enough to the correct diety

O8)

[El Supremo]

6. Mobile home parks are always a magnet. n/m

[elocs]

8. Oh, don't say that because I live in one.

We had a weak tornado come through my city of 50,000--La Crosse, WI, on Sunday. It did a couple of million dollars worth of damage, but there were no fatalities or injuries (God evidently was busy protecting us here so he didn't have time for Joplin). However, had the tornado had come through my mobile home park which is right on a river near the Mississippi there would assuredly have been many injuries and fatalities. To top it off, we have no shelter here to take refuge.

[RebelOne]

11. So do I. I live in a mobile home park in North Georgia just northwest of Atlanta..

There have been many close calls with tornadoes here. Scares the hell out of me when the tornado sirens go off. There is nowhere to run. We who live in mobile homes do not have any basements in which to take refuge and no time to run to a shelter. I am in Woodstock and the nearest shelters are in Kennesaw miles away. So, when the tornado hit Cartersville, the town just above me, the tornado sirens were blasting. Of course, I freaked out and just decided to go to bed. My home insurance was paid up, so I figured if it hit, I was covered, that is, if I and my dogs survived. Fortunately, it skipped over Woodstock and hit Cartersville and did a lot of damage.

[annabanana]

7. TOO SOON ( ya snarky bastids!)

[Curmudgeoness]

9. God?

Really, if anyone knew the answer to this, the warnings could be much more specific. All the experts know at this point is when conditions are right. Ask me about it---I was sitting in the basement with the cat last night as sirens were shreiking, and all for nothing.

[Synicus Maximus]

10. Mobile Homes

[laundry_queen]

12. Lots of speculation around this one

They used to think places with tall buildings were less likely to get hit. Or places that were hilly. Both of those have been disproven. There are theories around surface winds or humidity from crops but as far as I know, nothing has panned out. For now it's a big question mark.

[EstimatedProphet]

13. High taxes and interest rates, if you listen to the repubs.

[Motown_Johnny]

14. a tornado is basically a vortex caused by warm air rising and cool air sinking

I am guessing, mind you Guessing, that the elevation of the layer between the warm and cool air masses is the determining factor.


If the boundary between the two air masses is far up enough then the funnel cloud won't touch the ground.


I am also sure that the temperature variations and the volume of air in each mass also come into play.


Sorry I don't know more (at least this wasn't snark).