Difference between hurricane and tornado

A hurricane is a type of storm or tropical cyclone that is formed in the ocean and is characterized by extremely strong winds and heavy rains. Hurricanes develop mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the planet, where the waters of the ocean are warm enough to provide the necessary energy for their formation. The formation of a hurricane is:

1. Start with a Low pressure area on the oceanknown as tropical disturbance. For this disturbance to become a hurricane, several conditions must be met. The ocean water temperature should be at least 26.5 degrees Celsius, which provides the heat and humidity necessary for the air to rise and form clouds.
2. As Warm and humid air risescools and water vapor condenses in drops of rain, releasing latent heat. This additional heat further heats the surrounding air, causing more and forms more clouds and storms. This process creates a positive feedback cycle: warm and humid air continues to rise and release more heat, which in turn makes the Storm system grow and intensify.
3. Earth’s rotation also plays a crucial role in hurricane formation. The Coriolis effectcaused by the terrestrial rotation, makes the air in motion deviate, causing that The storms begin to turn. In the northern hemisphere, hurricanes revolve in the opposite direction to the clock needles, while in the southern hemisphere they turn in the direction of the clock needles. Here we tell you more about the Coriolis effect: what is it, what it consists of and examples.
4. Over time, if conditions remain favorable, tropical disturbance can be organized in a stronger system, known as tropical depression, and then in a tropical storm.
5. When sustained winds reach 119 km/ho morethe system is officially classified as A hurricane.

To expand this information we recommend reading these other articles about hurricanes: what they are, how they are formed and categories and the strongest hurricanes in history.

A tornado is a Air column in violent rotation that extends From a storm to the floor. Tornados can cause significant damage due to their extremely strong winds and their ability to lift and throw debris at high speed. Although they are smaller than hurricanes, tornadoes can be equally devastating in localized areas. The formation of a tornado is as follows:

1. Begins with the presence of a severe stormusually one Superceldawhich is a special type of storm characterized by a mesocyclone, a region of rotating winds within the storm cloud. To form a tornado, several specific atmospheric conditions must be given.
2. There must be hot and humid air near the groundwhich can be raised by colder and dry air in the upper layers of the atmosphere. This contrast between air masses creates atmospheric instability, which favors the formation of intense electric storms.
3. The next crucial factor is the presence of Wind shearwhich is a change in wind speed and direction with height. Wind shear can cause air to begin to rotate horizontally. Here you can learn about wind shear: what is, how it occurs and effects.
4. When a strong ascending current within the storm interacts with this air in rotation, it can tilt the horizontal rotation towards a vertical position, creating A mesocyclone.
5. If the mesocyclone intensifies and narrow due to the conservation of the angular momentum, the rotation is accelerated and a cloud funnel that descends from the base of the cloud. If this funnel Touch the groundit becomes A Tornado.

Tornados are classified according to the Improved Fujita scale (EF), which goes from EF0 to EF5, based on the damage caused and the estimated wind speed. EF0 tornadoes are the weakest, with winds of 105-137 km/h, while EF5 tornadoes are extremely violent, with winds greater than 322 km/h.

If you want more information you can read this other post about the tornado: what is, how it is formed, types and consequences.

• Hurricanes They have one organized structure With a central eye, a wall of the eye that contains the strongest winds and spiral rain bands that extend from the center. These systems can last several days or weekstouring great distances over The ocean and affecting extensive areas when they touch land.
• Tornados They are from lower scale And they are formed about The Earth. Tornado formation requires atmospheric instability, high wind shear and a strong ascending current inside the storm. Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes do not have a large -scale organized structure and are rather narrow columns of air in intense rotation. Tornados are usually short durationoften lasting only a few minutes, although some can persist more time.
• Another key difference is the size and extension of the impact. Hurricanes They can have a diameter of hundreds of kilometers and affect vast areas with winds, torrential rains and cyconic dizzy. Compared, Tornados are much smallerusually with a diameter of a few hundreds of metersand cause concentrated damage In a narrow strip. However, tornadoes can produce more intense winds in a small area than the strongest winds of a hurricane.
• Hurricanes are easier to monitor due to its size and time that takes time to develop and move. Authorities may issue warnings in advance, allowing evacuation and other preparation measures. Tornadoson the other hand, they can train quickly and with little noticemaking warnings more challenging and, often, with a shorter margin of time for action.

Determining if a tornado or a hurricane is more dangerous depends on several factors, including the specific context and the circumstances of each phenomenon. Both can be extremely dangerous and cause significant damage, but their danger are manifested in different ways.

Comparing both phenomena, Hurricanes They tend to cause More generalized damage and long -term effects due to its size and duration. Evacuations and preparations can be better planned due to the ability to predict and follow the trajectory of hurricanes several days in advance.

Tornadoson the other hand, they are more unpredictable And, although they affect smaller areas, they can be most lethal In those areas due to the speed and intensity of its impact. The speed with which they develop and the intensity of their winds make the lack of preparation can have catastrophic consequences in a short period.

Now that you know the difference between hurricane and tornado, we encourage you to continue learning and read these other ecology articles about the types of natural disasters that exist and how to prevent natural disasters.

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