Florida: Tornadoes: This is how deadly columns of air form

in the hours before the arrival of MiltonAt least two tornadoes touched down in St. Lucie County, Florida, hundreds of miles from where the Category 3 storm will hit between Wednesday night and Thursday. Terrifying columns of air devastated the small town, killing at least six people in their path. The winds uprooted trees, broke windows, crushed vehicles and destroyed homes. So far, officials have confirmed that about twenty tornadoes associated with the cyclone were recorded, although there were more than 120 alerts across the state. The confirmed number is expected to increase in the coming days as damage is assessed.

The tornadoes took many Floridians by surprise: the state experiences an average of about 50 tornadoes each year. This is compared to the 1,000 that occur each year in an area known as the Tornado Corridor (tornado Alley), which groups the states of the Great Plains of the United States such as Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. But the truth is that I like the storm Milton They can create ideal conditions for the formation of tornadoes. This meteorological phenomenon, with winds of 25 to more than 300 mph, can form in the storm’s so-called outer precipitation bands that typically bring hurricanes. As they move, the outer bands collide with the surrounding atmosphere, creating the conditions for these severe storms to form into tornadoes.

According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the major factors in creating these atmospheric phenomena are, on the one hand, instability – when warm, moist air is near the surface it is covered by cold, dry air – and on the other hand On the other hand, the change in wind speed or direction with height, is something that strengthens the updraft and creates the rotation that this wind tower can create. The strongest storms, which commonly cause tornadoes, are known as supercells and can cause this phenomenon to last for hours.

While detecting tornadoes is not always easy, there is a certain type of radar that detects the circulation associated with the storm that produces a tornado. When this occurs, an alarm warning is issued, although not all propagation gives rise to tornadoes. Generally, storm chasers or observers are relied upon to confirm whether what is detected on radar is associated with a tornado.

If this is the case, NOAA reminds that these atmospheric phenomena develop very quickly and, therefore, you must act very quickly to get to safety. The first suggestion is to take shelter in the basement, any place below ground. If that option doesn’t exist, it’s safest to stay in an interior room without windows or a hallway on the lowest level of the building.

If you are outside, on the road, or in a rural area, it is best to get to a populated area as quickly as possible in a vehicle while still wearing your seat belt to find shelter. If you encounter flying debris on the road, do not continue driving. Stay in the vehicle with your seat belt on, keep your head below window height, and cover yourself with at least your hands or a blanket if you have one. As a last resort, NOAA says, if you can get below road level (sloped shoulder), get out of the car, lie down in that area, and cover your head with your hands.