Concept: tornado in the concept vocabulary

Concept URI http://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/concept/8516
Preferred label tornado
Definition A rapidly rotating column of air developed around a very intense low-pressure centre. It is associated with a dark funnel-shaped cloud and with extremely violent winds (>300km/h) blowing in a counterclockwise spiral, but accompanied by violent downdraughts. The precise mechanisms are not fully understood but the following atmospheric conditions appear to be necessary for tornado development: a layer of warm moist air at low altitude; a layer of dry air at higher altitude with an inversion of temperature at about 1.000 m; a triggering mechanism, usually in the form of an active, intense cold front or solar heating of the ground which will create a vortex.
Notation
Status Valid
Status Modified 2013-12-05
Accepted Date 2013-12-05
Not Accepted Date
Alternative label
  • virvelstorm [sv]
Has broader
Is related to
Has close match
Source