This is a very common phenomenon in the tropics. An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained surface winds of 38 mph or less. An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined circulation and maximum sustained surface winds of 39 to 73 mph. A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that descends from a cumulonimbus cloud and appears as a funnel. A funnel cloud can be observed before it actually touches the ground and becomes a true tornado.
Tornadoes are the most destructive of all weather phenomena.
Wind speeds normally range between 100 mph to over 300 mph. They can completely vacuum-up fields, homes, cars, and other objects that are in their path. Many have compared the sound of a tornado's winds to a train or airplane's roar. Tornado's can continue a path of destruction for up to 10 miles or more before dissipating. Tornadoes can strike anytime during the year, but are most common in late spring and early summer.