Tornadoes: Nature's Phenomenon
hat is a Tornado?

A tornado is "a violent, destructive, whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land" (Merriam-ebster, Incorporated, 2012).

Tornadoes can develop in mere seconds and destroy everything in their path

Sometimes, a tornado will happen so quickly that there is little or no sign before it starts (Federal Emergency Management Association, 2012). A tornado can have the strongest winds on earth, up to 300 MPH, and can cause "fantastic destruction and great loss of life, mainly from flying debris and collapsing structures" (Snow, 2012).

How and hat of Tornadoes

How, hat

The National Severe Storms Laboratory studies tornadoes and says that tornadoes come from thunderstorms. Before the thunderstorm, the wind changes direction, becomes faster and becomes higher. Then it becomes an invisible spinning wind going horizontally in the lower atmosphere. hile the thunderstorm is happening, air rises inside it and tilts the spinning…...

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Works Cited

About.com. (no date). Enhanced F. scale for tornado damage. Retrieved April 6, 2012 from Geography.about.com: http://geography.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=geography&cdn=education&tm=35&gps=346_42_1366_651&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html

Brain, M., & Lamb, R. (2012). How tornadoes work. Retrieved April 6, 2012 from Science.howstuffworks.com Web site:  http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/tornado3.htm 

Federal Emergency Management Association. (2012). Tornadoes. Retrieved April 6, 2012 from Ready.gov Web site:  http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes 

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. (2012). Tornado. Retrieved April 6, 2012 from Merriam-Webster.com Web site:  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tornado

TORNADOES
What causes a tornado?

Tornado' comes in English from a Spanish word 'tornada' that means 'thunderstorm'. As defined by Nation Weather Service, a tornado is a 'violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and pendant from a thunderstorm'. Tornadoes result when there is stuffiest amount of moisture in the atmosphere at lower and mid levels, and when this condition gets combined with warm unstable air that rises above due to a lifting force. Initially, there should be some reason to cause air to flow upwards and to contribute in the formation of a tornado. This happens due to the fact that warm air is considerably lighter in weight than cold air (Earthbulletin). The buoyant air is produced as atmosphere gets heated near the ground surface. The heated air, which is warm and light, begins to rise upward and if during this phenomenon, a thrust of cool air is…...

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Bibliography basic guide to what causes tornadoes  http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wtwist2.htm http://www.f-5stormshelters.com/faqs.htm

The American Museum of Natural History - EarthBulletin - Storms - Where Do Tornadoes Form? http://earthbulletin.amnh.org/C/4/2/index.html

Tornadoes Fact Sheet    http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/tornado.htm http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/torn.htm 

Weather Watch: Tornadoes http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/tornado/emergency/warning.htm

Severe Weather Pattern Shifts In The United States. Aon Corporation. www.impactforecasting.com

Today, however society has an extremely advanced ability to be forewarned of a possible or actual tornado sighting before it ever touches ground. One method commonly used is a Doppler radar system that can detect a tornado while it is still in the sky and warn those in its path to take cover before it touches down. There are times that it won't touch down but is swirling in the sky. In addition to the Doppler radar system there are technologies.
Even with today's technologies at society disposal one of the most relied on methods for tornado warnings is the use of trained human storm chasers and spotters. The tornado spotters are trained to go out into weather that is capable of producing tornadoes, follow those storms and report in by phone if one is seen on the ground. They are able to detect it on the ground whereas the…...

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References

Schaefer, Joseph T. (2000) TORNADOES OF 1999: Twisters go urban.

Weatherwise

Guy Gugliotta (2003) Tornadoes' Effects Defy Simple Models, Theories

The Washington Post

Tri-State tornado of 1925 is known to be one of the most lethal natural phenomena that has hit the U.S. especially because it found the residents of the three states that it affected totally unprepared and the path of the tornado was also long and wide in its coverage. It is estimated that the tornado took around only three and a half hours to cause the massive destruction that would dent the economy and livelihoods of the three states for decades. It is known to be the deadliest twister to hit the heartland in history. The path of the tornado ripped through Illinois, Indiana and down to Missouri. It is estimated to have destroyed well above 15,000 homes leaving approximately 700 people dead with the largest casualty being in Illinois which saw 613 people dead and another 2,000 people with injuries (Nguyen T.C., 2007).
The reason behind such a massive death…...

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References

Henley J, (2013). Tornadoes can kill, and the Tri-State tornado was the deadliest of them all. Retrieved May 6, 2015 from  http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/may/21/tri-state-tornado-deadliest-of-all 

History by Zim, (2013). The Tri-State tornado of 1925. Retrieved May 6, 2015 from  http://www.historybyzim.com/2013/07/tri-state-tornado/ 

Nguyen T.C., (2007). The 10 Worst U.S. Natural Disasters. Retrieved May 6, 2015 from  http://www.livescience.com/11365-10-worst-natural-disasters.html

Seconds later the twister struck. The kitchen door fell on the husband, pinning him to the ground. After the roof blew away, hail battered his face and body. The house disintegrated, but he survived and so did the dog. The woman, however, was crushed in the debris (osenfeld 179).
By coincidence, researchers from the University of Oklahoma were just outside Spencer before the tornado hit, which is one reason authors like osenfeld know so much about the tornado that destroyed Spencer. He writes, "Just a mile outside town, scientists from the University of Oklahoma had parked a small truck full of computers and meteorological equipment. They had driven more than 300 miles to document Spencer's tornado with their Doppler radar" (osenfeld 180). These were professional storm chasers, who knew how to follow the weather that often predicts tornadoes.

In recent years, "storm chasing" has become a popular recreational pastime. Professional storm…...

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References

Abraham Resnick. Due to the Weather: Ways the Elements Affect Our Lives. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.

Robertson, David. "Beyond Twister: A Geography of Recreational Storm Chasing on the Southern Plains [*]." The Geographical Review 89.4 (1999): 533.

Rosenfeld, Jeffrey O. Inside the World's Deadliest Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Blizzards. New York: Plenum Press, 1999.

Tornadoes in the United States
Every state in the union has experienced them, and the destruction caused by tornadoes each year can climb into the billions of dollars. Scientists have learned a great deal about tornadoes over the past several decades, though, and warning systems are now able to prevent many of the casualties that tornadoes used to cause. To determine what has been learned and what steps have been taken for warning systems, this paper provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning tornadoes, followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that reach from a cloud to the earth's surface (What is a tornado?, 2014). The spring months of April, May, and June are the period in which the majority of tornadoes in the Northern Hemisphere are formed (Cavendish, 2000). During these months, the sun…...

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References

Cavendish, M. (2005). Encyclopedia of earth and physical sciences. New York: Marshall

Cavendish.

Moore, T.W. & Dixon, R.W. (2011, July). Climatology of tornadoes associated with Gulf

Coast-landfalling hurricanes. The Geographical Review, 101(3), 371-377.

Tennessee Tornadoes
On January 24, 1997, a supercell resulted in a tornado outbreak that spurred 13 tornadoes across middle Tennessee with an estimated damage in excess of nine million dollars across the counties of Rutherford, Cannon, Wilson and Smith with more than 300 buildings damaged or destroyed completely which included homes, businesses, and public facilities. Reports state that 31 individuals were injured during the tornados, which are reported to have ranged from F2 to F4 in intensity. There were amazingly, no fatalities. The following table shows the Tennessee Counties in which Tornados occurred on January 24, 1997, with corresponding information on damages caused by the Tornados.

Figure 1 - Tennessee January 24, 1997,

Tornado History Project

Description of the Event and Responsiveness of Media Personnel

Reports state that severe weather was identified as a threat early in the afternoon of January 23, 1997 and that a special weather statement was issued reporting the threat to…...

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Bibliography

Stacy's Story (nd) Fox 17 WZTV Nashville News. Retrieved from:  http://www.fox17.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wztv_vid_11126.shtml 

Neese, Charlie (1997) The Barfield-Murfreesboro, TN Tornado. Retrieved from:  http://www.stormtrack.org/library/archives/stmar97.htm 

1990s History (nd) The History of TEMA. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. TN.GOV. Retrieved from:  http://www.tnema.org/about/agencyhistory.html 

The Supercell Tornado Outbreak Across Middle Tennessee, January 24, 1997 (nd) National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Nashville, TN. Retrieved from: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ohx/?n=1997tornadooutbreak#duties

It is also noted within this same report that the Alabama Power reacted very promptly to the power outage by installing 6,000 distribution poles and placing well over 4 million feet of wire within the first seven days after the disaster.
Challenges and Public Health Issues

There were a few challenges that were experienced before, during and after the disaster that should be worked on in order to further lessen the human suffering during disasters. One of the most outstanding challenge that Alabama in general experienced was the issue of communication. It was noted that the lack of a common frequency that could be used by the response teams to coordinate the efforts was a hindrance to the rescue efforts. Logistics of moving donated items from one place to anther was yet another issue. This was made worse by the fact that most of the social venues that could be used…...

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References

CDC (2012). Tornado-Related Fatalities -- Five States, Southeastern United States, April 25 -- 28, 2011.  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6128a3.htm 

Larry Copeland, (2011). Rebuilding will take years, millions -- and patience. USA Today. Retrieved October 16, 2012 from  http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-05-25-joplin-tuscaloosa-rebuild_n.htm 

National Geographic News, (2011). Monster Alabama Tornado Spawned by Rare "Perfect Storm."  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110428-tuscaloosa-birmingham-alabama-news-tornadoes-science-nation/ 

The New York Times, (2011). Government's Disaster Response Wins Praise. Retrieved October 16, 2012 from  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/us/01fema.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

convert it into "Green Town"
Overall Analysis of the ebuilding Process

The region of Greensburg is an agricultural community, which is located in south-central Kansas. The day of May 4, 2007, marked a great tragedy in Greensburg, when it witnessed an EF-5 tornado. The study by FEMA (2007) states that according to the standard meteorological scale this was the most severe tornado in terms of wind speed. The consequence of the Greensburg tornado were very brutal, it demolished the region. The report by Paul, Che, Stimers and Dutt (2009) provides a complete description of the tornado. The author writes that the winds had a speed of over two hundred miles per hour. Moreover, the tornado cut a swath twenty-two miles in length and one and a half miles in width through the region. After the tornado passed, the damage was analyzed and it was found that approximately ninety-five per cent of…...

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References

Blaikie, P, Cannon, T, Davis, I and Wisner, B. (1994) At Risk: Natural Hazards, People's Vulnerability, and Disasters. Routledge, New York, NY.

Brock, V.T., and Paul, B.K. 2003. Public Response to a Tornado Disaster: The Case of Hoisington, Kansas. Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences, Vol. 26: 343-351.

Cross, J.A. 2001. Megacities and Small Towns: Different Perspectives on Hazard Vulnerability. Environmental Hazards, Vol. 3: 63-80.

Tierney, K, Lindell, M and Perry, R. (2001) Facing the Unexpected: Disaster Preparedness and Response in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press.

formation of a tornado; the composition, causes, kinds and magnitude of destruction this natural calamity is capable to bring about. Tornado, a mysterious and violently destructive windstorm, is a funnel-shaped cloud extending towards the ground with a dark cumulonimbus mass on its end facing the ground. The funnel twists about into a mad oscillation of 200-300 miles per hour and is capable of causing great destruction where it meets civilization. This paper unlocks the mysteries of how a tornado is formed and unveils a violent aspect of Mother Nature.
TONADO

Before we can understand how a tornado is formed, it is important that we discover and visualize the structure and mechanism of such a gigantic body. A tornado is a rotating column of air with a width of a few yards to more than a mile which spins at destructive high speeds accompanied by a conical downward extension of a cumulonimbus…...

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Reference:

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2005, Columbia University Press.

Kirsten Weir, Mister Twister: Josh Wurman chases tornadoes across the U.S. countryside. Current Science, April 16, 2004

"The tornado core and the condensation funnel." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005. pg 23-25

Kathy Wollard, Tornadoes form from 'supercells' into a column of whirling. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jul 19, 1999

Interagency Cooperation of Incident ManagementSevere Tornado Outbreak in the Southern United States, April 2011Brief DescriptionOn 27-28th April 2011, America witnessed its severest tornado outbreak since the year 1974. The month became one among the most devastating, active, and fatal tornado months recorded for the nation, serving as a potential benchmark for future months. SPC (Storm Prediction Center) information reveals a total of 875 preliminary tornadoes were reported in that month, with the final count of tornadoes approaching an all-time high of 542 following completion of storm surveys (NOAA, 2011). The prior record for April was a total of 267 tornadoes in April of 1974, with the highest for all months being May 2003, which witnessed 542 tornadoes (NOAA, 2011). Regarding April tornadoes, the 3-decade average was 135 (NOAA, 2011). In April, a large number of major, multi-day outbreaks of tornadoes impacted the nation, with the regions being hit the hardest…...

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References

FEMA. (2012). Mitigation Assessment Team Report: Spring 2011 Tornadoes: April 25-28 and May 22. FEMA P-908.

Knupp et al. (2014). Meteorological Overview of the Devastating April 27, 2011, Tornado Outbreak. American Meteorological Society. 95 (7): 1041–1062. Retrieved from:  https://journals.ametsoc.org/bams/article/95/7/1041/88536/Meteorological-Overview-of-the-Devastating-27 

NOAA (2011). National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Tornadoes for April 2011. Retrieved on July 26, 2020, from  https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/tornadoes/201104 .

Joplin Tornado
The author of this report has been asked to focus on a single hurricane or tornado and how it impact human and societal life. Being that it is quite recent and it was very destructive, the author of this report has chosen the EF-5 tornado that decimated much of Joplin, Missouri in 2011. The author will cover how the tornado impacted the earth, the damage toll, the death toll, the economic impacts involved and any permanent consequences that have resulted. While the city of Joplin is certainly in recovery mode, that tornado hit that city head-on and levied a massive amount of destruction.

One account of the Joplin tornado that is quite exhaustive and informative would be that of the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, or NIST. The "EF-5" label mentioned in the introduction makes reference to the Fujita scale of tornado intensity. There are only five points on…...

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References

NIST. (2015). Joplin Missouri Tornado 2011. Nist.gov. Retrieved 16 June 2015, from  http://www.nist.gov/el/disasterstudies/weather/joplin_tornado_2011.cfm 

Wheatley, K. (2013). The May 22, 2011 Joplin, Missouri EF5 tornado. United States Tornadoes. Retrieved 16 June 2015, from  http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/05/22/joplin-missouri-ef5-tornado-may-22-2011/

Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event
Disasters are realities and bearing this in mind, there is a requirement to have comprehensive plans to ensure that there are coping systems and mechanisms in place to deal with the physical, mental and emotional problems faced after any fortuitous events

The paper will commence with various facts and statistics regarding how 2011 has been a banner year in terms of the number of tornadoes that hit the United States. Thence, emphasis will be placed on two major tornadoes that wreak the most havoc -- the one in Alabama that occurred in April 2011 and the month thereafter, the Joplin, Missouri tornado.

The succeeding paragraph will introduce the thesis statement especially not only the death and destruction brought about by tornadoes but the physical, mental and emotional turmoil cause by these extraordinary events.

Physical Problems After Disaster or Traumatic Events

The section will deal with the physical injuries…...

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5. Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). The stages of grief. Available at http://www.memorialhospital.org/library/general/stress-the-3.html

6. Moyer, C. (2011, June 6). Doctors confront burst of mental health problems after disasters. American Medical News. Available at  http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/m/2011/06/06/hl20606.htm 

7. NOAA/National Weather Service. (2011, June 7). Monthly and annual U.S. tornado summaries. Available at  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html

Disaster Preparedness Plan:
Georgia has been an area threatened by some of form of natural disaster that has a huge negative impact on the well-being of its residents and the personnel and financial resources of the emergency response agencies. The most common natural disaster that occurs in this area is tornadoes that have terrorized both the rural and urban areas while making everyone in danger of their perils. In the recent years, Georgia experienced deadly tornadoes that caused harm, damages, and deaths in approximately 15 counties within the state. Give the nature of these tragedies, residents of this state need to be prepared and planned on how to respond to such emergencies.

Tornadoes in Georgia:

Tornadoes are regarded as nature's most violent storms since they can generate wind speeds of over 250 mph and appear from nowhere with little warning ("March Marks Start of Active Tornado," n.d.). These natural disasters are the most…...

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References:

"Defining the Need." (2002). Georgia Amateur Radio Emergency Service. Retrieved January 31,

2012, from  http://www.gaares.org/ARESPlan/potential_disasters_in_georgia.html#tornadoes 

"Georgia Emergency Operations Plan." (2010, August). GEMA / Homeland Security.

Retrieved from Georgia Emergency Management Agency / Homeland Security website:  http://www.gema.ga.gov/content/atts/prepare/Plans%20and%20Maps/Plan%20Library/GEOP2010.pdf

Emergency Plan
Business Name: MWV located in Covington VA

Number of Employees 190

Emergency management plan entails a system of managing resources, information analysis and decision making in the event of a tornado hitting the facility (Hubbard, 2009). The emergency management plan acts a guide to the responsible personal, the staff and residents within the facility on the steps to take upon the occurrence of a tornado. The emergency plan gives a description of the role that the pre-appointed Emergency Management Group (EMG) is expected to carry out in the event of a tornado. The Emergency Management group will serve as the overall authority over the activities in the facility relating to the occurrence of a tornado.

The emergency management policy is to ensure the safety of every individual within the facility and bring the facility to normal operations after an accident.

The head of the Emergency Management group is an appointed Incident Commander (IC)…...

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References

Hubbard, C. o. (2009). Emergency Response, Windshield Survey; Hubbard, . City of Hubbard Oregon.

Safety, C. f C.P. (2002). American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Guidelines for Technical Planning for On-Site Emergencies. . New York: CCPS-AICHE.

Leasing to someone can be risky. Make sure you charge enough rent, and that you get a good security deposit. Check local laws in your area to find out how much of a deposit you can collect. In some places it's no more than 1.5 times the rent. Other places allow for a larger amount. Check the person's credit, background, and references. Look for problems paying bills, broken lease agreements, and any past criminal history. Also talk to your insurance company. If you're renting/leasing your home, you can't just keep your standard homeowner's policy. You won't be covered if you have....

Earth's Topography and Its Influence on Human Settlements

The Earth's topography, characterized by diverse landforms and elevations, exerts a significant influence on human settlement patterns. The distribution of human populations and the organization of societies can be profoundly shaped by the topographical features of their environment.

1. Accessibility and Connectivity:

Topography affects the accessibility and connectivity of different regions. Mountainous terrain, deep valleys, and expansive deserts can impede movement and communication, creating barriers to settlement and trade. In contrast, flat coastal plains, river valleys, and gentle hills encourage the establishment of settlements and facilitate interconnections between communities.

2. Vulnerability to Hazards:

Certain topographical features increase....

1. Hurricanes pose a significant threat to life and property due to their intense winds that can reach speeds of over 150 mph, causing widespread destruction and devastation.

2. The storm surges associated with hurricanes can lead to massive flooding, putting coastal communities at risk of being completely submerged and causing significant damage to infrastructure and property.

3. Heavy rainfall from hurricanes can result in inland flooding, exacerbating the destruction and posing a threat to lives and property far beyond the initial impact zone of the storm.

4. The high potential for tornadoes within hurricanes can further increase the threat....

1. Hurricanes possess colossal destructive power due to their relentless winds, which can reach speeds of up to 157mph, causing catastrophic damage to structures, uprooting trees, and downing power lines.

2. The torrential rainfall accompanying hurricanes leads to devastating flooding, inundating homes and businesses, overwhelming drainage systems, and transforming roads into impassable rivers, posing a significant threat to life and property.

3. Hurricanes generate massive storm surges, walls of water that can reach heights of up to 20 feet, inundating coastal communities, eroding beaches, and causing severe damage to infrastructure.

4. The combined impact of high winds, torrential rainfall, and....