The shorter the duration of measurement, the higher the wind speed due to the gust factor, i.e., the rapid variation of wind speed in time. Temporary shoring of windows and doors for protection against wind damage. As the storm reaches shallow coastal waters, the dome becomes a surge that can rise 20 feet or more inundating coastal cities. The surge may smash onto land as a whole, producing massive destruction and flash flooding of coastal lowlands, or it may come ashore in a series of giant waves. Wind speeds measured over an extended period of time, usually a minute, as opposed to peak gusts measured during very short period of times, e.g., 2-5 seconds.
Tornadoes are very intense, confined storms, much smaller in size and more frequent than hurricanes.
Tornadoes can occur any time in the year, although most common in April through June. It is very difficult to measure wind speeds in tornadoes, unlike hurricanes where planes can be flown over them due to their size. However, from observation, it is believed that tornado wind speeds can exceed 200 mph carrying trucks, buildings and uprooting trees in the air. They are so unpredictable and erratic and climatologists have yet to understand what causes tornadoes to touch down or explain the extreme wind speeds observed. Tornadoes rotate clockwise or anti-clockwise, unlike.