Nature works in its own ways. Sometimes it is gentle and for the rest, it can be cruel as well. Natural disasters are examples of such harsh behaviors of nature. Earthquakes, floods, droughts, tsunamis, tornadoes, etc. are a few examples of natural disasters. The first possible record of a tornado was in July 1643 that struck Lynn, Newbury, and Hampton in Massachusetts, United States, as per the documented record by the author David Ludlam. But do you know there are different types of tornados? Let us know more about what’s an isolated tornado and what does isolated thunderstorms mean. Do invisible tornadoes exist? Let’s find it out.
1. What is a Tornado?
A violently rotating column of air that is simultaneously in contact with the Earth (ground) and a cumulonimbus cloud is known as a tornado. However, in rare cases, a tornado may be connected to the base of a cumulus cloud. You know it by different names like whirlwind, cyclone, or twister. The term tornado was derived from the Spanish word tornado, which means to turn or to have turned. This word came from the Latin word tonare meaning thunder. (See How many Tornadoes in Tennessee per year?)
2. How are Tornadoes Formed?
When the mesocyclone (a vortex of air having a diameter of 2 to 10 miles inside a convective storm) comes below the base of the cloud, the cool and moist air from the lower regions gets absorbed by it. As the warm and cold air meets in the updraft, a rotating wall of cloud is formed. With the intensified updraft, a low-pressure area is developed at the surface pulling down the mesocyclone in the form of a funnel. This is how tornadoes are formed. The information about what’s an isolated tornado around the corner, so read on. (See How are Typhoons formed?)
3. What are Different Types of Tornado?
Depending upon the location and climate, there can be different types of tornadoes as mentioned here. Before moving toward what’s an isolated tornado, take a look at the basic categories of tornadoes:
- Multiple Vortex Tornados: It is the type of tornado that has two or more rotating air columns spinning about their own axes at the same time. They revolve around the same center. This phenomenon is commonly witnessed during an intense tornado.
- Waterspout: According to the National Weather Services, a waterspout is a tornado over water which is further classified as fair-weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts. Fair-weather waterspouts are less severe but very common. They have similar appearances of dust devils and land spouts. Tornadic waterspouts are strong tornadoes formed over water and across the water. They are faster, more intense, and have a longer duration.
- Land Spouts: It is also referred to as a dust-tube tornado, but it is not associated with the mesocyclone. They are like fair-weather waterspouts on land, hence named land spouts. They are weak, and short, with a smooth condensation funnel that does not reach the surface often.
4. What are Different Scales of Rating a Tornado?
The Fujita scales and Enhanced Fujita Scales are used for measuring the intensity and strength of tornadoes. Their strength is determined by the amount of damage they caused. Here is the list of rating scales for a tornado.
- Weak tornado: This tornado hardly damages trees, and on the scale, it is F0 or EF0.
- Strong tornado: This is stronger and damages trees, and vehicles, and blows off roofs. Its rating on the scale is F2 to F3 or EF2 to EF3.
- Violent tornado: It has a rating of F4 to F5 or EF4 to EF5 which means it can damage everything in its path.
- Significant strong/violent tornado: This tornado has the strength to rip off buildings from their foundations and even damage and deform skyscrapers. On the scale, its rating is F2 or F5 or EF2 to EF 5.
- Intense tornado: With a rating of F3 to F5 or EF3 to EF5 this type of tornado is a complete and utterly destructive force that can damage and wipe off entire towns.
5. What’s an Isolated Tornado?
Waterspouts or land spouts can be further categorized into different categories, one of which is an isolated tornado. Usually, when a tornado does not form within a violent tornado, it is termed an isolated tornado. (See In which Point the First Movement of an Earthquake occurs?)
6. Where do Isolated Tornadoes Connect?
An isolated tornado also connects the ground to the clouds in the sky, and they mostly connect with cumulonimbus and cumulus clouds. These tornadoes are intense and strong. They are powered by either of the clouds that are associated with storms and rainstorms. (See What Place in US doesn’t get Tornadoes?)
7. Where are Isolated Tornadoes Common?
Since you know what’s an isolated tornado, now note that an isolated tornado can occur in any place where there are cumulonimbus and cumulus clouds. However, Antarctica is the only region where there are no tornadoes, neither isolated nor other types. This is due to the absence and rarity of the cumulonimbus and cumulus clouds. (See Where Is The Eye Of The Hurricane?)
8. What is the Speed of Isolated Tornadoes?
The possible wind speed in an isolated tornado can be 150 kilometers per hour (93.20 miles per hour) or even more. There have been instances where the isolated tornadoes exceeded the speed of about 300 kilometers per hour (186.45 miles per hour). (Also read Is the Eye of a Hurricane Calm?)
9. What type of Sound is Produced by an Isolated Tornado?
Apart from reading the answer to the question – what’s an isolated tornado, get to know how it sounds. If you have witnessed a tornado, you must be aware that these violently rotating winds produce scary sounds. And an isolated tornado is not an exception in this because it can produce a sound that is below 20 hertz. The type of sound tends to change with the addition of objects and material to the vortex as the tornado travels from one place to another. (See What do Tornadoes Sound like?)
10. What does Isolated Thunderstorms Mean?
Since you are aware of what’s an isolated tornado, do you know what’s an isolated thunderstorm? A thunderstorm refers to a storm that is accompanied by lightning and thunder along with heavy hail or rain. There are different types of thunderstorms, and an isolated thunderstorm is one of them. A condition when there are light winds that do not change with increasing height along with moisture at the middle and lower levels of the atmosphere is referred to as an isolated thunderstorm. (See How are Hurricane and Thunderstorms Similar?)
11. What is Scattered Thunderstorm?
According to the National Weather Service, with all the other conditions remaining the same, the term scattered is used to describe a thunderstorm when there are 30% to 50% (about 0.01 inch) chances of measurable precipitation at a given location.
12. Do Invisible Tornadoes Exist?
Yes, invisible tornadoes exist sometimes even when there is a tornado you cannot see. Such a situation happens when there is no visible funnel that connects the ground to the base of the cloud. After learning about what’s an isolated tornado, get to know about another possibility of invisible tornadoes. There can also be a situation when the funnel is not visible, but you can see the dirt and debris rotating at the ground level. Must read about the 8 sand storms facts.
13. What is the Reason Behind Invisible Tornado?
The funnel of the tornado appears when there is condensation within the vortex as a result of the sudden increase and decrease in the temperature. According to weather experts, an invisible tornado happens to form when the pressure regulation, that is, the lift and drop of the pressure in the vortex of the tornado is too weak to cool and condense. This situation results in a non-visible funnel. However, another possible reason could be the dry air below the base of the clouds. (See What are the Top 10 Worst Hurricanes in U.S. History?)