FUNCTIONAL FUNNEL FACTS
© 1998 Emily Hoffman

It's faster than a speeding bullet. It's stronger than a football team. It can lift a house, uproot trees and spin a tractor like a Frisbee. Worst of all, it may appear in your city or town. What is it?

A tornado!

Be prepared for its appearance by reading these Functional Funnel Facts:

• In March through July, 75% of all tornadoes form. But watch out, you can expect one anytime of the year when warm and cold air masses meet.

• Even though tornadoes can occur anywhere in the world, the ones that hit the United States are the most deadly.

• Wake up late and stay up late because 80% of all tornadoes occur between noon and midnight.

• The smallest tornadoes are called "mini's." These guys pack up and move no farther than a half a mile and only last a few minutes.

• The largest tornadoes are called "maxi's." These can last up to three hours and travel 200 miles or more.

• Wind speeds of a tornado can reach up to 300 miles per hour. Compare that with the 65 to 75 miles per hour you can drive on the Interstate.

• Tornadoes are fast. Because they travel so fast, they can uproot trees, move cars, toss trucks and houses, and turn harmless objects into deadly torpedoes.

• According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes kill an average of 42 people a year.

SIGNS OF AN APPROACHING TORNADO

• A sudden burst of rain or a sudden calm in the middle of a thunderstorm can indicate an approaching tornado.

• Does it sound like a train outside, but you don't live near any train tracks? It may be a tornado. The high winds generated by a tornado can sound like a freight train.

• Do you see clear skies ahead? Don't think the storm has passed. Clear skies can often be seen behind a tornado.

• Sometimes, the sky takes on a greenish color when a tornado is in the offing.

• If there's a storm brewing, listen to your radio. A tornado watch means the weather is right for a tornado to form. A warning means a tornado has been sighted. If there is a warning or if it looks like tornado weather, seek shelter. Go to the basement of a sturdy building. If you're outside and can't find shelter, lie flat in a ditch and cover your head with your arms and hands. Use your head in an emergency situation and remember these functional funnel facts.