Evening star., 1953-06-17
Like a Big Jueeernout,
Tornado FIottens, Kills
Most Violent Of All Storms
Is q Monster of Nature
By Thomos R. Henry

By Thomas R. Henry
The North American tornado is the
most violent of all storms.
Its black, funnel-Shaped projection
from cloud to earth literally mows down
forests in its path as If 1t were titanic,
moving circular saw. It roars across
the countryside like an antediluvian
monSter-the roar closely approxi-
mating the sound Of several loco
motives speeding through q tunnel at
the same time.
The particular type Of storm is, Of
course, not confined to this continent.
It may happen any time anywhere in
the world. The fact remains, however,
that the most favorable place on earth
for the formation of such cyclones Is
the great area Of flatlandS between the
eastern foothills of the Rockies and the
western foothills of the Appalachians.
The tornado season follows q fairly
well defined path, just as does the
thunderstorm season with which it is
closely associated. It starts in the
eastern Gulf States about the beginning
Of the year and moves steadily north
westward. reaching Iowa and Kansas
in June. There it pauses until late
September. after which few tornadoes
are recorded.
This particular type Of storm is de-
fined by the Weather Bureau, to whose
experts 1t still is somewhat Of an
enigma, as "a violent local vortex In
the atmosphere with upward spiralling
winds of terrific velocity"
Cloud With Tail.
The general picture is that Of a
familiar black, thunderstorm cloud with
black tail reaching the ground. The
passage of this tail is usually preceded
by rain or hail and followed by heavy
downpour.
The Weather Bureau experts say
frankly that there is no way Of predict
ing such storm. They can only issue q
warning that conditions over a certain
part Of the country are such that one
is possible. The approach usually can
be observed. The best possible protec-
ton, according to Weather Bureau in
structionS, is to get into q cellar, pref
erably one with reinforced concrete
walls and a stout door. Such cellar.
some distance from the house. used to
cyclone areas.
Otherwise, according to the bureau
experts. the southeast corner of any
depression or excavation Is the place
of greatest safety, since tornadoes
usually approach from that direction.
When a tornado cloud is seen before
hand and its direction of movement
noted it is possible to keep out of its
way by running at right angles TO this
direction. IF the funnel is approaching
in straight line-in which case it
probably will appear to be standing
still but growing larger-the safest
direction in which to run is to the
right when facing the storm. The
faster one runs the better, for in the
immediate vicinity of the funnel the
air will be filled with flying debris of
all kinds, ranging in size from bits Of
glass to timbers and even objects as
large as automobiles. ...
Flight, however. doesn't offer any
absolute safety. Tornadoes sometimes
as if they possessed some malevolent
intelligence. ..t,
Tornado Described.
Destructive effects, says the Weather
Bureau, "are terrifying. Strong build
ings are torn apart and scattered about
like kindling wood. Large trees are up
rooted and the bark stripped of. People
and farm animals are whirled through
the air and then dashed to earth.
Bridges are wrenched from their foun-
dations. The terrific force of the whirl-
ing winds within the storm is demon
Strated by the Shearing off Of large tree
limbs, by sailing pieces of tin roof, by
StrawS and slivers of wood that are
driven deep into boards and posts, and
by the penetration of large pieces of
wood deep into the earth. Considerable
timber is destroyed when a tornado cuts
Swath through a woodland, the trees
lying about in directions which indicate
the spiralling winds. Reduced air pres
sure within the funnel-shaped pendant
cloud causes buildings literally to ex-
plode when the storm passes directly
overhead the glass windows being
blown to the outside by the unreduced
air pressure within the building"
What to Watch For.
Any unusual cloud formation that
looks like a tornado should be closely
watched, the Weather Bureau warns.
All tornadoes have winds that rotate
very rapidly with spinning motion
similar to that of a whirling top. A
funnel-shaped cloud should not be
identified as tornado unless it Is fairly
certain this motion is present.
Among the phenomena likely to be
mistaken for tornadoes are "dust dew
ils," small whirlpools Of air which start
at the earth's surface and build up
wards. They have much the same kind
of rotary motion as that found within
tornado. but the essential large, black
cloud is absent. The same is true of cer-
tain types of waterspouts, whirling COL
umns Of water droplets which may be
seen over water when no threatening
clouds are present. They seldom develop
into dangerous storm. But tornadoes
cause enormous water spouts when they
pass from land over water.