How does a tornado form?
1 minutes read
Published 06/20/2013
![How does a tornado form? How does a tornado form?](/content/dam/munichre/mrm/royalty-free-shutterstock/shutterstock_81366340.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cropped.3_to_1.jpg./cropped.3_to_1.jpg)
properties.trackTitle
properties.trackSubtitle
The formation of a spring tornado
Meteorological prerequisites
![Natural catastrophes - How does a tornado form A tornado builds up within minutes and, in relation to its brief duration, is more destructive than a hurricane. Topics Online explains how a tornado forms. On Monday, 20 May, a one-and-a half kilometre wide tornado tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma City gouging a 30 km long by 2 km wide corridor of destruction out of the landscape.](/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/info-graphics/meteorological-prerequisites_en.gif/_jcr_content/renditions/original.image_file.640.405.file/meteorological-prerequisites_en.jpg)
Very warm and moist air arriving from the Golf of Mexico moves land inwards over the Tornado Alley towards the northwest.
Collision of airstreams
![Natural catastrophes - How does a tornado form? A tornado builds up within minutes and, in relation to its brief duration, is more destructive than a hurricane. Topics Online explains how a tornado forms. On Monday, 20 May, a one-and-a half kilometre wide tornado tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma City gouging a 30 km long by 2 km wide corridor of destruction out of the landscape.](/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/info-graphics/formation-of-the-super-cell_en.gif/_jcr_content/renditions/original.image_file.640.327.file/formation-of-the-super-cell_en.jpg)
The higher-lying cold-air winds from the northwest slide at high speed over the warm moist air from the south.
Formation of the super cell
![Natural catastrophes - How does a tornado form? A tornado builds up within minutes and, in relation to its brief duration, is more destructive than a hurricane. Topics Online explains how a tornado forms. On Monday, 20 May, a one-and-a half kilometre wide tornado tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma City gouging a 30 km long by 2 km wide corridor of destruction out of the landscape.](/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/info-graphics/formation-of-the-mesocyclone_en.gif/_jcr_content/renditions/original.image_file.640.426.file/formation-of-the-mesocyclone_en.jpg)
Under the influence of the different wind directions and speeds at higher and lower levels of the atmosphere (wind shear), the rising moist, warm air begins to rotate upwards.
Tornado formation
![Natural catastrophes - How does a tornado form? A tornado builds up within minutes and, in relation to its brief duration, is more destructive than a hurricane. Topics Online explains how a tornado forms. On Monday, 20 May, a one-and-a half kilometre wide tornado tore through the suburbs of Oklahoma City gouging a 30 km long by 2 km wide corridor of destruction out of the landscape.](/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/info-graphics/tornado-formation_en.gif/_jcr_content/renditions/cropped.16_to_9.gif.image_file.640.360.file/cropped.16_to_9.jpg)
The spinning movement of the air rising inside the mesocyclone creates an area of low pressure directly below.
1
Munich Re Experts
![](/content/dam/munichre/contentlounge/website-pieces/experts/Eichner_Jan.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/original./Eichner_Jan.jpg)
Jan Eichner
Senior Consultant and expert on natural hazards, Corporate Underwriting
Related Topics
Newsletter
properties.trackTitle
properties.trackSubtitle