What is a tornado?

A tornado is a major storm that consists of rotating columns of air that touch the base of a thunderstorm and surface of the earth.  They have speeds ranging from 86 - 200 miles per hour and destroy everything in their path.  They can last for seconds or minutes at a time.  States that have the most tornados are Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi.  People that are in the path of a large tornado often say it sounds like an approaching freight train.