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TORNADOES HURRICANE STORMS

The territory of any region is subject to the complex effects of dozens of dangerous natural phenomena, development and negative manifestation which in the form of catastrophes and natural disasters annually causes enormous material damage and leads to human casualties. The most characteristic natural phenomena In terms of frequency depending on the time of year, hurricanes, storms and tornadoes lead to emergencies.

Blizzards are accompanied by the transfer of huge masses of snow from one place to another. At the same time, large areas are filled up.

Storm- a type of hurricane and storm. Hurricanes and storms differ in wind speed, which during a hurricane reaches 32 m/s or more, and during a storm 15 - 20 m/s. The losses from a hurricane are greater than from a storm.

Tornado- an ascending vortex of extremely rapidly rotating air in the form of a huge funnel destructive force, which contains moisture, sand and other suspended matter. Rising vortices of rapidly rotating air, having the appearance of a dark column with a diameter of several tens to hundreds of meters with a vertical, sometimes curved axis of rotation. The tornado seems to “hang” from the cloud to the ground in the form of a giant funnel, inside which the pressure is always low, so the “suction” effect appears. It lifts animals, people, cars, small houses into the air and carries them hundreds of meters, tears off roofs, and uproots trees. The average wind speed is from 15 - 18 m/s, up to 50 m/s, the width of the front is 350 - 400 m. The path length is from hundreds of meters to tens and hundreds of kilometers. Sometimes tornadoes are accompanied by precipitation in the form of hail and heavy rain.

The most common natural disasters in Europe are hurricanes and floods. In terms of economic losses and the volume of subsequent insurance payments, hurricanes and floods are the most financially significant. Hurricanes Lota and Martin in December 1999 caused damage estimated at €5 billion, damaging crops, forests and infrastructure settlements.

Hurricane- This is an extremely fast and strong movement of air, often of great destructive power and considerable duration.

During hurricanes, the width of the zone of catastrophic destruction reaches several hundred kilometers (sometimes thousands of kilometers). A hurricane lasts 9 - 12 days (a storm - from several hours to several days, the width of the front during a storm is several hundred kilometers), causing a large number of casualties and destruction. Transverse size tropical cyclone(also called a tropical hurricane, typhoon) is much smaller - only a few hundred kilometers, its height is up to 12-15 km. The pressure in hurricanes drops much lower than in an extratropical cyclone. At the same time, the wind speed reaches 400-600 km/h. In the core of a tornado, the pressure drops very low, so tornadoes “suck” into themselves various, sometimes very heavy objects, which are then transported over long distances. People caught in the center of the tornado die.

As surface pressure continues to fall, the tropical disturbance becomes a hurricane when wind speeds begin to exceed 64 knots. A noticeable rotation develops around the center of the hurricane, because as spiraling bands of precipitation swirl around the eye of a hurricane. The heaviest precipitation and strongest winds are associated with the eye wall.

Eye - area 20-50 km in diameter, located in the center of a hurricane, where skies are often clear, winds are light, and pressure is lowest.

Wall of the eye - a ring of cumulonimbus clouds swirling around the eye. The heaviest precipitation and the strongest winds are found here.

Spiral stripes precipitation - bands of powerful convective showers directed towards the center of the cyclone.

Tornado(tornado) - vortex horizontal movement air, appears in a thundercloud and falls to the surface of the earth in the form of an overturned funnel, the diameter of which is up to hundreds of meters. The air inside the column rotates counterclockwise, rising upward in a spiral at a speed of several tens of m/s. Because The radius near the ground decreases, then the speed at the surface of the earth reaches supersonic values. The pillar moves at a speed of up to 20 m/s and covers a distance of 40-60 km. Inside the tornado, the air pressure is so great that buildings crumble due to the pressure of the air in them. The ability of tornadoes to plunge oblong objects (straws, sticks, debris, etc.) into trees, walls of houses, the ground, etc. is amazing. Small stones pierce glass and thin metal.

Hurricanes that occur in tropical latitudes have speeds of up to 64 knots (74 mph) and are capable of causing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding that can result in massive damage to residential infrastructure, private property and loss of life. Hurricane in terms of impact on environment not inferior earthquakes: buildings, power and communication line masts, transport highways are destroyed, trees break and are uprooted, overturned sea vessels and road transport. Often storms and hurricanes are accompanied by rain and snowfall, which further complicates the situation. As a result of strong winds, a wind surge of water occurs at the mouths of rivers, settlements and arable lands are flooded, and enterprises are forced to stop their production.

Moscow, night from 20 to 21 June “As news agencies reported, citing representatives of medical and emergency services and the press center of the mayor’s office, wind gusts in some places reached 31 meters per second. During a heavy downpour, 35 mm of precipitation fell - the capital's monthly norm. According to preliminary data, at least 45 thousand trees were broken and uprooted, and 744 street lighting networks were broken. More than a hundred city routes public transport inactive due to 585 trolleybus and tram breaks contact networks. Stormy wind damaged high voltage lines power transmission - 75 damages were recorded on lines with voltages of 500, 220 and 110 kilovolts. Construction and road equipment accidents occurred in some places in the capital. Many cars and buildings were damaged, including the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theater. About one and a half thousand houses were left without roofs. A crane collapsed in a river port and sank 2 ships. The storm wind, the speed of which, according to weather forecasters, reached 90 kilometers per hour in the hurricane zone, also caused casualties: 7people died, 122 were hospitalized and 161 people sought medical help.”

Weather forecasters may not receive timely warnings about the hurricane. Lack of storm warning leads to colossal property damage, loss of life, and sometimes significant humanitarian crises. For effective resolution crisis situations Coordination and concentration of resources are needed to ensure timely and appropriate assistance is provided to countries and people in need. In 1992, the EU Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) was created to coordinate humanitarian operations outside the European Union.

Improvement of the weather forecast service (introduction of a hurricane warning system using space-based surveillance equipment) allows for the urgent evacuation of the population from threatening areas and reducing the number of human casualties. Research is also being carried out on the effect on hurricanes (especially those that are just emerging) by introducing certain chemical reagents (silver iodide) into the clouds, in some cases causing premature precipitation and weakening the destructive power of the hurricane

To reduce the impact of natural disasters, actions and measures are being taken both nationally and internationally. regional levels, although a unified target policy has not yet been developed. Contingency plans, including guidelines for responding to various natural disasters, have been developed in all European Union countries, but they are largely untested and are unlikely to lead to satisfactory results when implemented (EEA 1999).

TACTICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The destructive effects of hurricanes are associated primarily with wind, but the subsequent phase of rainfall and flooding is much more dangerous. These phenomena acquire a formidable character and turn into rampant disasters with catastrophic consequences on the scale of entire states or even several countries in any geographical area.

Related components of hurricanes:

Floods.

Temporary flooding of low-lying areas river valleys, are caused by heavy rains, cyclones, hurricanes and other meteorological reasons. The significant harm that floods cause to humanity is to some extent explained by the problem of forecasting at the present time. Heavy rainfall and offshore waters carried ashore by strong winds can cause water levels to rise by more than 50 cm (20 in) in just 24 hours. The drainage systems in many cities are unable to handle this rise due to the soft topography common to many coastal areas where hurricanes occur.

Storm surge of water.

There may often be an increase in the water level in the water area, sometimes over several meters. This is the most destructive characteristic, devastating the lower levels of coastal structures. The greatest danger arises when the water level rises during highest point tide.

Violation of living conditions of the population

Utilities. Administrative and industrial buildings, residential buildings and economic facilities are damaged. Gas and water supply systems, sewerage systems, boiler houses, heating mains, transformer substations, power line feeders, electrical panels. Hurricane winds tear off the roofs of houses and administrative buildings, felling trees, lighting poles. Flooded underground passages, street intersections, water lines and drains.

Transport. Blockages form on the roads from fallen trees, Traffic on highways is interrupted. Are blurred sections of asphalt, railway and dirt roads, the movement of passenger trains is delayed. Air terminals and bridges are damaged and bridge crossings.

Agriculture. Squally winds, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, damage the roofs of residential buildings and granaries. Causes flooding of houses, buildings, private households, bridge crossings, agricultural land.Agricultural crops, orchards and vegetable gardens are dying over large areas. Farms and sheds are damaged, die hundreds of heads of livestock and poultry. As a result of the disaster, the water level in the rivers rises and exceeds critical levels. Subject to prolonged flooding arable land, thousands of hectares of perennial grasses, pastures and meadows.

There is a danger of intensification of coastal destruction and landslide processes.

Interrupted telephone communications and power supply disruptions in settlements with a population of tens and hundreds of thousands of people.

Almost the entire population may be temporarily resettled from the affected areas.

Of particular concern to ministries and departments involved in eliminating the consequences of emergencies and natural disasters are dangerous objects: hydroelectric power stations, nuclear power plants, chemical, biological, fire and explosion hazards, industrial, military warehouses and storage facilities. Social facilities: airports, train stations, transnational railways and car roads, Insurance companies, banks, strategic economic facilities and, most importantly, energy potential, on which the performance of the entire complex of urban infrastructure depends.

The “Projects” section welcomes everyone who is interested in what is happening around us and who is ready to gain new knowledge and share it on school lessons. Do you know what danger natural phenomena such as hurricanes and storms pose?

In fact, these flows moving at breakneck speed air masses are in third place in terms of danger and destructive power. What do they have in common and how do they differ from each other? What are the reasons for such strong winds and how to protect yourself so that like Ellie from “The Wizard” Emerald City» not to be carried away somewhere far from home?

Lesson plan:

Where do hurricane storms come from?

Both storms and hurricanes occur when cyclones occur in the atmosphere. If you send cold air, for example, from the Arctic, to the hot equator, then after their head-on collision it will be possible to observe the unfolding storm. In this case, two masses with different properties will begin to wedge into each other, cold air will desperately displace warm air to the top.

Air masses are constantly moving in the atmosphere, each of which has its own indicators of temperature, pressure and humidity. When air pressure changes, the air flow begins to move and the speed of its movement depends on how large the difference in pressure change is. When this speed exceeds 30 meters per second, we can talk about a hurricane.

What do you think is a broader concept – a storm or a hurricane?

In fact, a storm is a small hurricane, a variation of it. It can be up to 15-30 meters per second, cover a width of up to several hundred kilometers and last several hours or days. Strong storms are called storms. Often a storm brings with it heavy rain and thunderstorms.

But a hurricane is a broader concept, since it covers both a light sea breeze - a breeze, and the storm we discussed above, and, in fact, itself. Hurricane winds move at speeds of more than 32 meters per second, or 117 kilometers per hour, and play pranks for 9 to 12 days.

Do you know that?! A hurricane always blows counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Types of storms and hurricanes

What types of whirlwinds and winds are there?

Scientists have divided all hurricanes into:

tropical ones that are born over warm oceans in the tropics and set off in a westerly direction;
extratropical, or temperate latitudes, which appear over both land and water and move eastward.

If the birthplace of a tropical hurricane is the Atlantic, then it is called a hurricane.

If it was born over the Pacific Ocean and Pacific seas, according to established tradition it is called a typhoon.

A hurricane born over the Indian Ocean is often called a cyclone.

Temperate hurricanes, unlike tropical ones, bring with them less precipitation, which is why they are also called “dry.”

Storms are also roughly divided into:

vortex, since they look from the outside like powerful vortices and cover a large area;
streaming, directed along a trajectory - a flow, they are not so extensive in terms of coverage area.

Vortex storms are made from dust that rises high and is transported over long distances. They are usually found in deserts. Snowy whirlwind winds occur in winter, and we know them as a blizzard or blizzard. Squalls come in the form of a short-term sudden impulse winds up to 20 meters per second.

Stream storms include:

drain, with them the air moves from top to bottom;
jet, when the air mass moves horizontally or from bottom to top. Most often they can be seen in the mountains.

Do you know that?! Scientists give hurricanes names. Previously, only women’s names were chosen, but the fair half of humanity rebelled against such injustice, and today you can also find men’s names among the names of natural disasters.

Are hurricane storms dangerous?

What causes the destructive power of strong winds? Indicators of the degree of destructive action of cataclysms and their consequences depend on the speed of the air mass. All hurricanes and storms based on wind strength are summarized in a special table on the Beaufort scale.

This English hydrographer assessed the wind by its effect on objects and by the roughness of the sea surface and, based on his research, compiled a twelve-point scale.

At Beaufort, measurements begin with a calm, in which there is practically no wind, and the sea is mirror-smooth. As wind flows intensify, the nature of the impact changes. With strong winds of up to 17 meters per second, it becomes difficult to walk, a storm of 24 meters begins to tear tiles from the roofs of houses, and a strong storm with a speed of 28 meters uproots trees.

When a hurricane begins, storm waves rise to great heights and destroy everything they encounter along the way.

As a result destructive action hurricanes damage buildings and structures, break power lines, and fall trees. Storms bring prolonged downpours and lead to landslides and floods. There are cases in history where hurricane winds overturned trains and destroyed dams.

Do you know that?! In Russia, hurricanes most often occur in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories, Sakhalin and Kamchatka. In the European part the wind reaches 50 meters per second, but in Far East it can be about 90 m/sec. Most cyclones occur at the end of summer - beginning of autumn.

What to do, if?

Storms and hurricanes are natural disasters, so each of us should know the basic rules of behavior in an emergency, even if you live in a favorable area and have only heard about hurricanes on TV.

First of all, you should know that the approach of these natural disasters can be indicated by:

sudden increase in wind,
rapid decrease in atmospheric pressure,
showers and storms,
heavy snowfall,
appearance of ground dust.

Modern technologies allow weather forecasters to obtain preliminary data about impending disasters, so often the population is already prepared when a storm or hurricane arrives:

roofs and chimneys are secured to prevent them from being carried away,
the attic windows are covered with boards,
Explosive and fire hazardous items have been removed from balconies and courtyard areas,
Supplies of food and water have been made for at least two to three days, lanterns and candles have been prepared.

How to behave?

It is best if during a raging disaster you are in a shelter, for which a basement is suitable.
If you were unable to hide in time, then on the street you should not approach buildings, but choose a ditch or hole where you can hide, covering your head with your hands. This will help protect you from objects flying in the wind.
When in a building, you should take a place along the walls.
It is better to wait out a snow storm, which can last for several days, at home, since it is almost impossible to find a person in poor visibility conditions. If there is an urgent need to go outside the premises, it is better to have means of communication, a group of several people and having warned someone about where and which way you will go.

But Samuil Marshak, apparently, also knows how to survive a hurricane and a storm, because he is not at all afraid of them:

Winds, storms, hurricanes,

Blow as hard as you can!

Whirlwinds, blizzards and blizzards,

Get ready for the night!

Trumpet loudly in the clouds,

Hover above the ground.

Let the drifting snow run in the fields

White snake!

Well, now you know more about these dangerous natural phenomena. Do you want to see a hurricane? Well then, watch it if you're not afraid. His name is "Matthew".

Don't forget to subscribe to the blog news so you don't miss new interesting articles!

Good luck in your studies!

Evgenia Klimkovich.

Tornadoes, hurricanes, storms

From the point of view of the possibility of carrying out preventive measures, dangerous natural processes, as a source of emergency situations, can be predicted with a very short lead time (from several days to several hours). Strong winds with speeds over 20 m/sec and heavy rainfall can be observed in almost all regions of the Republic of Belarus. According to forecasts, the number of emergencies caused by strong winds, rain and hail will generally remain at the same level, or will increase due to the manifestation of poorly predicted local meteorological processes against the backdrop of significant deterioration of public utilities and social services. The territory of any region is subject to the complex effects of dozens of dangerous natural phenomena, the development and negative manifestation of which in the form of catastrophes and natural disasters annually causes enormous material damage and leads to human casualties. The most typical natural phenomena in terms of frequency depending on the time of year and leading to emergencies are hurricanes, storms and tornadoes.

Snow storms are accompanied by the transfer of huge masses of snow from one place to another. At the same time, large areas are filled up.

A storm is a type of hurricane and storm. Hurricanes and storms differ in wind speed, which during a hurricane reaches 32 m/s or more, and during a storm 15 - 20 m/s. The losses from a hurricane are greater than from a storm.

A tornado is an ascending vortex of extremely quickly rotating air in the form of a funnel of enormous destructive power, in which moisture, sand and other suspended matter are present. Rising vortices of rapidly rotating air, having the appearance of a dark column with a diameter of several tens to hundreds of meters with a vertical, sometimes curved axis of rotation. The tornado seems to “hang” from the cloud to the ground in the form of a giant funnel, inside which the pressure is always low, so the “suction” effect appears. It lifts animals, people, cars, small houses into the air and carries them hundreds of meters, tears off roofs, and uproots trees. The average wind speed is from 15 - 18 m/s, up to 50 m/s, the width of the front is 350 - 400 m. The path length is from hundreds of meters to tens and hundreds of kilometers. Sometimes tornadoes are accompanied by precipitation in the form of hail and heavy rain.

A hurricane is an extremely fast and strong movement of air, often of great destructive power and considerable duration.

During hurricanes, the width of the zone of catastrophic destruction reaches several hundred kilometers (sometimes thousands of kilometers). A hurricane lasts 9 - 12 days (a storm lasts from several hours to several days, the width of the front during a storm is several hundred kilometers), causing a large number of casualties and destruction. The transverse size of a tropical cyclone (also called a tropical hurricane or typhoon) is much smaller - only a few hundred kilometers, its height is up to 12-15 km. The pressure in hurricanes drops much lower than in an extratropical cyclone. At the same time, the wind speed reaches 400-600 km/h. In the core of a tornado, the pressure drops very low, so tornadoes “suck” into themselves various, sometimes very heavy objects, which are then transported over long distances. People caught in the center of the tornado die.

A tornado (tornado) is a vortex horizontal movement of air that occurs in a thundercloud and descends to the surface of the earth in the form of an overturned funnel, the diameter of which is up to hundreds of meters. The air inside the column rotates counterclockwise, rising upward in a spiral at a speed of several tens of m/s. Because The radius near the ground decreases, then the speed at the surface of the earth reaches supersonic values. The pillar moves at a speed of up to 20 m/s and covers a distance of 40-60 km. Inside the tornado, the air pressure is so great that buildings crumble due to the pressure of the air in them. The ability of tornadoes to plunge oblong objects (straws, sticks, debris, etc.) into trees, walls of houses, the ground, etc. is amazing. Small stones pierce glass and thin metal.

Hurricanes that occur in tropical latitudes have speeds of up to 64 knots (74 mph) and are capable of producing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding that can result in massive damage to residential infrastructure, private property and loss of life. In terms of the impact on the environment, a hurricane is not inferior to earthquakes: buildings, power and communication line masts, and transport highways are destroyed, trees are broken and uprooted, sea vessels and vehicles are overturned. Often storms and hurricanes are accompanied by rain and snowfall, which further complicates the situation. As a result of strong winds, a wind surge of water occurs at the mouths of rivers, settlements and arable lands are flooded, and enterprises are forced to stop their production.

“As news agencies reported, citing representatives of medical and emergency services and the press center of the mayor’s office, wind gusts in some places reached 31 meters per second. During a heavy downpour, 35 mm of precipitation fell - the capital's monthly norm. According to preliminary data, at least 45 thousand trees were broken and uprooted, and 744 street lighting networks were broken. More than a hundred urban public transport routes were inactive due to 585 breaks in trolleybus and tram contact networks. Heavy winds damaged high-voltage power lines - 75 damage was recorded on lines with voltages of 500, 220 and 110 kilovolts. Construction and road equipment accidents occurred in some places in the capital. Many cars and buildings were damaged, including the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theater. About one and a half thousand houses were left without roofs. A crane collapsed in a river port and sank 2 ships. The storm wind, the speed of which, according to weather forecasters, reached 90 kilometers per hour in the hurricane zone, also caused casualties: 7 people died, 122 were hospitalized and 161 people sought medical help.”

Weather forecasters may not receive timely warnings about the hurricane. Lack of storm warning leads to colossal property damage, loss of life, and sometimes significant humanitarian crises. Effective resolution of crisis situations requires coordination and concentration of resources to ensure timely and appropriate assistance is provided to countries and people in need. In 1992, the EU Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) was created to coordinate humanitarian operations outside the European Union.

Improvement of the weather forecast service (introduction of a hurricane warning system using space-based surveillance equipment) allows for the urgent evacuation of the population from threatening areas and reducing the number of human casualties. Research is also being conducted on the effect on hurricanes (especially those that are just emerging) by introducing certain chemical reagents (silver iodide) into the clouds, in some cases causing premature precipitation and weakening the destructive power of the hurricane.

To reduce the impact of natural disasters, actions and measures are being taken at both the national and regional levels, although a single targeted policy has not yet been developed. Contingency plans, including guidelines for responding to various natural disasters, have been developed in all European Union countries, but they are largely untested and are unlikely to lead to satisfactory results when implemented (EEA 1999).

Tactical characteristics of natural disasters

Related components of hurricanes:

Floods.

Temporary flooding of low-lying areas of river valleys is caused by heavy rains, cyclones, hurricanes and other meteorological reasons. The significant harm that floods cause to humanity is to some extent explained by the problem of forecasting at the present time. Heavy rainfall and offshore waters carried ashore by strong winds can cause water levels to rise by more than 50 cm (20 in) in just 24 hours. The drainage systems in many cities are unable to handle this rise due to the soft topography common to many coastal areas where hurricanes occur.

Storm surge water

There may often be an increase in the water level in the water area, sometimes over several meters. This is the most destructive characteristic, devastating the lower levels of coastal structures. The greatest danger occurs when the water level rises during the high tide.

Violation of living conditions of the population

Utilities. Administrative and industrial buildings, residential buildings and economic facilities are damaged. Gas and water supply systems, sewerage systems, boiler houses, heating mains, transformer substations, power line feeders, electrical panels. Hurricane winds tear off the roofs of houses and office buildings, knock down trees and lighting poles. Underpasses, street intersections, water lines and drains are flooded.

Transport. Blockages form on the roads from fallen trees, and traffic on highways is interrupted. Sections of asphalt, railway and dirt roads are being washed away, and the movement of passenger trains is being delayed. Air terminals, bridges and bridge crossings are damaged.

Agriculture. Squally winds, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, damage the roofs of residential buildings and granaries. Causes flooding of houses, buildings, private households, bridge crossings, and agricultural land. Agricultural crops, orchards and vegetable gardens are dying over large areas. Farms and sheds are damaged, hundreds of livestock and poultry are killed. As a result of the disaster, the water level in the rivers rises and exceeds critical levels. Arable lands, thousands of hectares of perennial grasses, pastures and meadows are subject to prolonged flooding.

There is a danger of intensification of bank destruction and landslide processes.

Telephone communications are interrupted and the power supply to settlements with a population of tens and hundreds of thousands of people is disrupted.

Almost the entire population may be temporarily resettled from the affected areas.

Of particular concern to ministries and departments involved in eliminating the consequences of emergencies and natural disasters are dangerous objects: hydroelectric power stations, nuclear power plants, chemical, biological, fire and explosion hazards, industrial, military warehouses and storage facilities. Social facilities: airports, train stations, transnational railways and highways, insurance companies, banks, strategic economic facilities and, most importantly, energy potential, on which the performance of the entire complex of urban infrastructure depends.

Medical attribute of elemental damage

Powerful hurricanes with rain often lead to loss of life. A large number of public, economic and industrial facilities and residential buildings are damaged. The damage could reach billions of rubles. Summer 2002 Crimean coast. Windows and doors were broken in apartments, and the roofs of hundreds of houses were torn off. The wind knocked down trees, bent traffic lights and street lighting poles, as if it were dealing with toys from newsstands and food stalls. Electricity and heat supplies are out of order. People found themselves without light, water and heat. Television and radio broadcasting fell silent. Couldn't be passed on to the public necessary information. Mudflows that came down from the mountains washed campsites into the sea along with cars, tents and people.

The Belarusian Hydrometeorological Committee, as a rule, issues a “Storm warning” in advance. Receiving information about the approach of a hurricane or severe storm. Doors, attics, and dormer windows should be closed. Cover the glass with strips of paper or fabric. Remove objects from balconies, loggias, and window sills that could cause injury if dropped. Turn off the gas. Prepare emergency lighting with lanterns and candles. Create a supply of water and food for 2-3 days. Place medications and dressings in a safe and visible place. Keep radios and televisions on at all times: they can convey various messages and orders. Transfer people from light buildings to strong buildings. Hide in a secure building or shelter, securely close the window frames; if there is a threat of a tornado - in a basement or underground structure.

In case of a sudden hurricane, storm, tornado

To prevent damage from natural disasters, be as prepared as possible in advance. If there is a danger of a hurricane passing, it is necessary to take shelter in the nearest protective structure or use metro stations, basements, tunnels, underground passages, and pits of buildings under construction for shelter.

If you find yourself in an open area, it is best to use roadside ditches, railway embankments, beams, hollows, take cover in a ditch, hole, ravine, any recess, lie down on the bottom and press tightly to the ground.

While in the house, close the windows, shutters, lower the blinds, remove flowers, vases, decorations from the window sills, curtain the windows and move away from the windows. Avoid injury from glass and other flying objects.

Borrow relatively safe place(it’s better to go down to the basement as quickly as possible).

Relatively safe: niches, doorways, built-in wardrobes. enjoy electrical appliances only after they have been dried and checked.

On the street:

Beware of damaged or fallen trees, swinging shutters, signs, and banners. If the storm is accompanied by thunder, avoid electrical shock.

Run from buildings, towers to any shelter,

After waiting out the gust of wind, take shelter in a safer place.

During a hurricane, storm, tornado it is dangerous:

Be in elevated places, bridges, near pipelines, power lines, near poles and masts, objects with toxic and flammable substances. Take cover under trees, behind billboards, and dilapidated fences. Enter damaged buildings. Use electrical appliances in the house, gas stoves. Touch broken electrical wires, central heating, gas and water supply pipes.

Near poles and masts, objects with toxic and flammable substances. Take cover under trees, behind billboards, dilapidated buildings and fences. Enter damaged buildings. Use electrical appliances and gas stoves in the house.

After a hurricane, storm, tornado:

Be careful when walking around downed wires.

Beware of fallen trees, swaying shutters, signs, banners, gas leaks in the house, and electrical problems (use electric lights before checking). Electrical appliances can only be used after they have been dried and checked. If the storm is accompanied by thunder, avoid electrical shock.

What is a tornado?

A tornado is a narrow, monstrously rotating column of air that stretches from a thundercloud to the ground. Because wind is invisible, you can't always see a tornado. A visible sign is a funnel consisting of water drops, sometimes objects; during its existence, the tornado does not always come into contact with the surface of the earth. Dust and debris in the spinning funnel also make the tornado visible and indicate the tornado's position.

Known fact:

Tornadoes are the most violent natural disaster.

There are two types of this phenomenon: tornadoes caused by severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes caused by other factors. Typically, tornadoes are the result of thunderstorms and are often the most dangerous. Superstorm is a long-lasting (more than one hour) thunderstorm that continues due to an upward air flow, inclined and constantly rotating. This stream reaches 10 miles in diameter and 50,000 feet in height, requiring 20 to 60 minutes to form a tornado. Scientists call this rotation a mesocyclone when it is detected on Doppler radar. Tornadoes are an extremely small part of this large-scale rotation. The most powerful tornadoes result from severe thunderstorms.

Tornadoes of the second type are formed without the participation of upward rotating air currents. Such a tornado is a whirlwind of dust and debris that forms near the very surface of the earth, along the front line of the wind without that terrible spinning funnel. Another variant of a tornado is a tornado, or otherwise a hurricane. This phenomenon is characterized by a narrow rope-shaped funnel that forms when a thundercloud is still forming and there is no upward swirling air flow. A waterspout is similar to a landspout, only it occurs over water.

Hurricanes: the destructive force of nature

Hurricanes are cyclones that occur in tropical latitudes, with winds reaching 64 knots (74 mph). These cyclones are capable of causing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding, which can result in enormous damage to private property and loss of life among coastal communities. One that comes to mind is Hurricane Andrew, which caused at least 50 deaths and more than $30 billion in property damage. The purpose of this module is to introduce hurricanes and their characteristics, where they occur and under what conditions. This module is presented in the following sections:

Hurricane names

IN various parts around the world, hurricane-like storms are given different names.

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with winds exceeding 64 knots (74 mph) and blowing counterclockwise from their center in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Hurricanes occur over warm waters tropical oceans, where the air is very humid and converging winds cause convective processes responsible for the formation of hurricanes.

Hurricane season usually lasts from June to November, when water temperatures in these areas are relatively high (over 26.5 C). Most hurricanes occur in late summer and early fall, that is, in August and September. Hurricanes are stronger than thunderstorms and tornadoes, but weaker than mid-latitude cyclones. Major components of a hurricane include:

The area, 20-50 km in diameter, is at the center of the hurricane, where skies are often clear, winds are light, and pressure is lowest.

Eye Wall:

A ring of cumulonimbus clouds swirling around the eye. The heaviest precipitation and the strongest winds are found here.

Spiral precipitation bands: Bands of strong convective rainfall directed towards the center of the cyclone

There are an average of 84 tropical storms and 45 hurricanes/typhoons per year. Approximately nine of these storms develop per year over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, six of which typically become hurricanes, two of which are intense hurricanes (wind speeds exceeding 130 mph or 209 km/h).

Hurricane-like storms are called by different names in different parts peace. For example, the name "hurricane" is given to systems developing over the Atlantic Ocean or the eastern Pacific Ocean. In the northwest Pacific and near the Philippines these systems are called "typhoons", while in Indian Ocean and in the South Pacific they are called "cyclones"

Since 1953, the National Hurricane Center has compiled lists of names for hurricanes. Once a tropical depression develops into a tropical storm, it is assigned one of the following names on the list, which are in alphabetical order, with feminine and male names presented together in one list. Below is a list of names for hurricanes from 1994-1999.

Storm Names for 1994-1999

1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Alberto	Allison	Arthur	Ana	Alex	Arlene
Beryl	Barry	Bertha	Bill	Bonnie	Bret
Chris	Chantal	Cesar	Claudette	Charley	Cindy
Debby	Dean	Dolly	Danny	Danielle	Dennis
Ernesto	Erin	Edouard	Erika	Earl	Emily
Florence	Felix	Fran	Fabian	Frances	Floyd
Gordon	Gabielle	Gustav	Grace	Georges	Gert
Helene	Humberto	Hortense	Henry	Hermine	Harvey
Isaac	Iris	Isidore	Isabel	Ivan	Irene
Joyce	Jerry	Josephine	Juan	Jeanne	Jose
Keith	Karen	Kyle	Kate	Karl	Katrina
Leslie	Louis	Lili	Larry	Lisa	Lenny
Michael	Marilyn	Marco	Mindy	Mitch	Maria
Nadine	Noel	Nana	Nicholas	Nicole	Nate
Oscar	Opal	Omar	Odette	Otto	Ophelia
Patty	Pablo	Paloma	Peter	Paula	Philippe
Rafael	Roxanne	Rene	Rose	Richard	Rita
Sandy	Sebastien	Sally	Sam	Shary	Stan
Tony	Tanya	Teddy	Teresa	Thomas	Tammy
Valerie	Van	Vicky	Victor	Virginie	Vince
William	Wendy	Wilfred	Wanda	Walter	Wilma

Types of global winds

Global winds, also known as "global circulations", and the surface winds of each hemisphere are divided into three zones:

Polar Easterly Winds: From 60 to 90 degrees latitude.

Prevailing (Prevailing) Westerlies: From 30 to 60 degrees latitude (also known as Westerlies).

Tropical Easterlies: From 0 to 30 degrees latitude (also known as Trade Winds).

Hurricane V in a broad sense words are a strong wind with a speed of over 30 m/s. A hurricane (in the tropics of the Pacific Ocean - a typhoon) always blows counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

This concept includes a breeze, a storm, and a hurricane itself. This wind with a speed of over 120 km/h (12 points) “lives”, that is, moves on the planet, usually for 9-12 days. Forecasters give it a name to make it easier to work with. Just a few years ago it was only female names, but after long protests by women's organizations, this discrimination was abolished.

Hurricanes are one of the most powerful forces elements. In terms of their harmful effects, they are not inferior to such terrible natural disasters as earthquakes. This is explained by the fact that they carry colossal energy. The amount released by an average hurricane in one hour is equal to the energy nuclear explosion at 36 mgt.

Hurricane wind destroys strong and demolishes light buildings, devastates sown fields, breaks wires and knocks down power and communication lines, damages highways and bridges, breaks and uproots trees, damages and sinks ships, causes accidents in utility and energy networks in production . There were cases when hurricane winds destroyed dams and dams, which led to large floods, threw trains off the rails, tore bridges from their supports, knocked down factory chimneys, and washed ships ashore.

Hurricanes and stormy winds in winter often lead to snow storms, when huge masses of snow move from one place to another at high speed. Their duration can be from several hours to several days. Snowstorms that occur simultaneously with snowfall, at low temperatures or with sudden changes in temperature are especially dangerous. Under these conditions, a snowstorm turns into a true natural disaster, causing significant damage to regions. Houses, farm buildings and livestock buildings are covered with snow. Sometimes the snowdrifts reach the height of a four-story building. On large territory on long time Due to snow drifts, the movement of all types of transport stops. Communication is disrupted, the supply of electricity, heat and water is cut off. Human casualties are also common.

In our country, hurricanes most often occur in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk territories, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Chukotka, and the Kuril Islands. One of the strongest hurricanes in Kamchatka occurred on the night of March 13, 1988. Glass and doors were broken in thousands of apartments, the wind bent traffic lights and poles, roofs were torn off hundreds of houses, and trees were knocked down. The power supply to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky failed, and the city was left without heat and water. The wind speed reached 140 km/h.

In Russia, hurricanes, storms and tornadoes can occur at any time of the year, but most often in August and September. This cyclicality helps forecasts. Forecasters classify hurricanes, storms and tornadoes as emergency events with a moderate speed of spread, so most often it will be possible to issue a storm warning. It can be transmitted through channels civil defense: after the sound of the siren "Attention everyone!" you need to listen to local radio and television.

The most important characteristic of a hurricane is wind speed. From the table below. 1 (on the Beaufort scale) the dependence of wind speed and the name of the modes is visible, which indicates the strength of the hurricane (storm, storm).

Hurricane sizes vary widely. Usually its width is taken to be the width of the zone of catastrophic destruction. Often this zone is supplemented with an area of storm force winds with relatively little damage. Then the width of the hurricane is measured in hundreds of kilometers, sometimes reaching 1000.

For typhoons (tropical hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean), the destruction strip is usually 15-45 km.

The average duration of a hurricane is 9-12 days.

Often the downpours that accompany a hurricane are much more dangerous than the hurricane wind itself (they cause flooding and destruction of buildings and structures).

Table 1. Name of wind regime depending on wind speed

Points	Wind speed (mph)	Name of wind mode	Signs
			The smoke is coming straight
		Light wind	Smoke bends
		Light breeze	The leaves are moving
		Light breeze	The leaves are moving
		Moderate breeze	Leaves and dust are flying
		Fresh breeze	Thin trees sway
		Strong breeze	Thick branches sway
		Strong wind	Tree trunks bend
			The branches are breaking
		Severe storm	Roof tiles and pipes are torn off
		Total Storm	Trees are uprooted
			Damage everywhere
			Great destruction

Storm is a wind whose speed is less than the speed of a hurricane. However, it is quite large and reaches 15-20 m/s. Losses and destruction from storms are significantly less than from hurricanes. Sometimes strong storm called a storm.

The duration of storms is from several hours to several days, the width is from tens to several hundred kilometers. Both are often accompanied by fairly significant precipitation.

IN summer time heavy rainfalls accompanying hurricanes are often, in turn, the cause of such natural phenomena, like mudflows, landslides.

Thus, in July 1989, the powerful typhoon “Judy” swept from the south to the north of the Far Eastern region with a speed of 46 m/s and heavy rainfall. 109 settlements were flooded, in which about 2 thousand houses were damaged, 267 bridges were destroyed and demolished, 1,340 km of roads, 700 km of power lines were disabled, and 120 thousand hectares of farmland were flooded. 8 thousand people were evacuated from dangerous areas. There were also human casualties.

Classification of hurricanes and storms

Hurricanes are usually divided into tropical and non-tropical. Tropical are called hurricanes that originate in tropical latitudes, and extratropical- in extratronic ones. In addition, tropical hurricanes are often divided into hurricanes that originate over Atlantic ocean and over Quiet. The latter are usually called typhoons.

Generally accepted established classification there are no storms. Most often they are divided into two groups: vortex and flow.

Vortex They are complex vortex formations caused by cyclonic activity and spreading over large areas.

Vortex storms are divided into dust, snow and squall. In winter they turn into snow. In Russia, such storms are often called blizzards, blizzards, and blizzards.

Squalls usually occur suddenly and are extremely short in duration (several minutes). For example, within 10 minutes the wind speed can increase from 3 to 31 m/s.

Streaming- These are local phenomena of small distribution. They are unique, sharply isolated and inferior in importance to vortex storms.

Stream storms are divided into katabatic and jet storms. With drainage, the air flow moves along the slope from top to bottom. Jets are characterized by the fact that the air flow moves horizontally or even up a slope. They most often pass between chains of mountains connecting valleys.

Tornado

Tornado (tornado) is an ascending vortex consisting of extremely rapidly rotating air mixed with particles of moisture, sand, dust and other suspended matter. It is a rapidly rotating funnel of air hanging from a cloud and falling to the ground in the form of a trunk. This is the smallest form of vortex air movement in terms of size and the highest rotation speed.

Tornado it is difficult not to notice: it is a dark column of spinning air with a diameter of several tens to several hundred meters. As he approaches, a deafening roar is heard. A tornado originates under a thundercloud and seems to hang from it when it has a curved axis of rotation (the air rotates in a column counterclockwise at a speed of up to 100 meters per second). Inside the giant air funnel, the pressure is always low, so everything that the vortex is capable of tearing off the ground is sucked in and rises in a spiral.

A tornado moves above the ground at an average speed of 50-60 km/h. Observers note that his appearance immediately causes panic.

Tornadoes form in many areas globe. Very often accompanied by thunderstorms, hail and downpours of extraordinary strength and size.

Arise as above water surface, and over land. Most often - during hot weather and high humidity, when air instability in the lower layers of the atmosphere appeared especially sharply. As a rule, a tornado is born from a cumulonimbus cloud, descending to the ground in the form of a dark funnel. Sometimes they occur in clear weather. What parameters characterize tornadoes?

Firstly, the size of a tornado cloud in diameter is 5-10 km, less often up to 15. The height is 4-5 km, sometimes up to 15. The distance between the base of the cloud and the ground is usually small, on the order of several hundred meters. Secondly, at the base of the mother cloud of a tornado there is a collar cloud. Its width is 3-4 km, thickness is approximately 300 m, the upper surface is at a height for the most part, 1500 m. Below the collar cloud lies a wall cloud, from the lower surface of which the tornado itself hangs. Thirdly, the width of the wall cloud is 1.5-2 km, thickness 300-450 m, the lower surface is at an altitude of 500-600 m.

The tornado itself is like a pump, sucking in and lifting various relatively small objects into the cloud. Once in the vortex ring, they are supported in it and transported for tens of kilometers.

Funnel - main component tornado It is a spiral vortex. The internal cavity is from tens to hundreds of meters in diameter.

In the walls of a tornado, air movement is directed in a spiral and often reaches speeds of up to 200 m/s. Dust, debris, various items, people, animals rise up not in the internal cavity, usually empty, but in the walls.

The thickness of the walls of dense tornadoes is significantly less than the width of the cavity and measures a few meters. For vague ones, on the contrary, the thickness of the walls can be much greater than the width of the cavity and reaches several tens and even hundreds of meters.

The air rotation speed in the funnel can reach 600-1000 km/h, sometimes more.

The time of formation of a vortex is usually calculated in minutes, less often in tens of minutes. Total time existence is also calculated in minutes, but sometimes in hours. There were cases when a group of tornadoes was formed from one cloud (if the cloud reached 30-50 km).

The total length of the tornado’s path ranges from hundreds of meters to tens and hundreds of kilometers, and average speed travel approximately 50-60 km/h. The average width is 350-400 m. Hills, forests, seas, lakes, rivers are not an obstacle. When crossing water pools a tornado can completely dry out a small lake or swamp.

One of the features of the movement of a tornado is its jumping. After traveling some distance along the ground, it can rise into the air without touching the ground, and then descend again. In contact with the surface, it causes great destruction.

Such actions are determined by two factors - the ramming impact of rapidly rotating air and the large pressure difference between the periphery and the inside of the funnel - due to the enormous centrifugal force. The last factor determines the effect of absorption of everything that comes in the way. Animals, people, cars, small and light houses can be lifted into the air and carried hundreds of meters and even kilometers, trees can be uprooted, roofs can be torn off. A tornado destroys residential and industrial buildings, breaks power supply and communication lines, disables equipment, and often leads to casualties.

In Russia, they most often occur in the central regions, the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, on the coast and in the waters of the Black, Azov, Caspian and Baltic seas.

A tornado that originated on July 8, 1984 in the north-west of Moscow and passed almost to Vologda (up to 300 km), by a lucky coincidence, had a monstrous, incredible force. big cities and sat down. The width of the destruction strip reached 300-500 m. This was accompanied by the fall of large hail.

The consequences of another tornado of this family, called the “Ivanovo Monster,” were terrifying. It arose 15 km south of Ivanovo and zigzagged about 100 km through forests, fields, and suburbs of Ivanovo, then reached the Volga, destroyed the Lunevo camp site and died out in the forests near Kostroma. Only in Ivanovo region 680 residential buildings, 200 industrial and agricultural facilities, 20 schools, and kindergartens were significantly damaged. 416 families were left homeless, 500 garden and dacha buildings were destroyed. More than 20 people died.

Statistics tell about tornadoes near Arzamas, Murom, Kursk, Vyatka and Yaroslavl. In the north they were observed Solovetsky Islands, in the south - on the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas. On Black and Seas of Azov Every 10 years there are an average of 25-30 tornadoes. Tornadoes that form on the seas very often reach the coasts, where they not only do not lose, but even increase in strength.

It is extremely difficult to predict the location and time of a tornado. Therefore, for the most part, they arise suddenly for people; it is even more impossible to predict the consequences.

Most often, tornadoes are divided according to their structure: dense (sharply limited) and vague (unclearly limited). Moreover, the transverse size of the funnel of a vague tornado, as a rule, is much larger than that of a sharply limited one.

In addition, tornadoes are divided into four groups: dust devils, small short-acting ones, small long-acting ones, and hurricane whirlwinds.

Small, short-acting tornadoes have a path length of no more than a kilometer, but have significant destructive power. They are relatively rare. The path length of small long-acting tornadoes is several kilometers. Hurricane vortices are larger tornadoes and travel several tens of kilometers during their movement.

If you don’t hide from a strong tornado in time, it can lift and throw a person from a height of the 10th floor, bring flying objects and debris down on him, and crush him in the ruins of a building.

The best means of escape when a tornado is approaching- take refuge in a shelter. For getting up-to-date information From the civil defense service, it is best to use a battery-powered radio: most likely, at the beginning of a tornado, the power supply will stop, and it is necessary to be aware of messages from the civil defense and emergency headquarters every minute. Very often, secondary disasters (fires, floods, accidents) are much larger and more dangerous than destruction, so constantly receiving information can protect. If you have time, you need to close the doors, ventilation, and dormer windows. The main difference from hurricane protection: during a tornado, you can only hide from disaster in basements and underground structures, and not inside the building itself.

In December 1944, 300 miles east of the island. Luzon (Philippines) ships of the US Third Fleet found themselves in the hurricane zone. As a result of its impact, over 800 people were killed, 3 destroyers sank, 2 other ships were damaged, and 146 aircraft on aircraft carriers were washed overboard or damaged.

Hurricanes, storms and tornadoes are wind meteorological phenomena.

Wind is the movement of air relative to the earth's surface, resulting from an uneven distribution of atmospheric pressure and directed from high pressure to low.

It is characterized by direction and speed (force). The direction is determined by the azimuth of the side of the horizon from which the wind is blowing, and is measured in meters per second (m/s), kilometers per hour (km/h), in knots, or approximately in points on the Beaufort scale.

The Beaufort scale is used to express wind strength in points visual assessment. It was adopted by the World Meteorological Organization in 1963.

The main cause of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes is the cyclical activity of the atmosphere.

A cyclone is a moving atmospheric vortex with a diameter of one hundred to several thousand kilometers, which is characterized by a system of hurricane winds blowing counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere of the Earth and clockwise- in the south.

Depending on their origin, cyclones are divided into tropical and extratropical.

The immediate cause of the occurrence of tropical cyclones is the condensation of steam in a vast layer of moist air over the ocean with the release of a huge amount of energy; extratropical cyclones are significant contrasts in temperature and pressure of adjacent air masses.

All cyclones have the same structure. The central part of cyclones, which has the lowest pressure, light clouds and weak winds, is usually called the "eye of the storm" ("eye of the hurricane"). The outer part, in which maximum pressure and hurricane speeds of rotation of air masses are usually observed, is the cyclone wall. This wall abruptly gives way to the peripheral part, where atmospheric pressure decreases and the winds gradually weaken.

The speed of movement of cyclones is very different. Its average value for tropical cyclones is 50-60 km/h, and the maximum is 150-200 km/h. The speed of extratropical cyclones averages 30-40 km/h, and sometimes reaches 100 km/h. Cyclones Atlantic Ocean are commonly called hurricanes, and western Pacific tropical cyclones are typhoons.

Hurricane (typhoon)- wind of enormous destructive force, having a speed above 30 m/s, or 12 degrees on the Beaufort scale.

Depending on where cyclones originate, hurricanes are also divided into tropical and extratropical.

The most important characteristic of a hurricane is wind speed. Long-term meteorological observations show that wind speeds during hurricanes reached 30-50 m/s in most regions of the European part of the Russian Federation, and 60-90 m/s or more in the Far East.

Important characteristics of hurricanes are also their width and duration, speed of movement and paths of movement.

The width of the catastrophic destruction zone is usually taken as the width of a hurricane. This tropical hurricane zone ranges in width from 20 to 200 km or more. Extratropical hurricanes are characterized by a significantly greater width of their action, which can be several thousand kilometers.

The duration of a hurricane on average reaches 9-12 days or more.

The paths of tropical hurricanes are predominantly meridional, while those of extratropical hurricanes are mainly from west to east.

Hurricanes occur at any time of the year, but the vast majority of them pass through the territory of the Russian Federation in August and September. The timing of their passage has a certain cyclicity, which contributes to their more accurate forecasting. For the convenience of monitoring the movement of hurricanes and in order to reduce errors in the transmission of information, weather forecasters assign them short, easy-to-remember female or male names or use four-digit numbering.

Hurricanes are also accompanied by such phenomena as heavy rains, snowfalls, hail, and electrical discharges. Hurricane winds often lead to dust and snow storms.

Tempest (storm)- very strong continuous wind with a speed of over 20 m/s, causing great destruction on land and disturbances at sea. Storms are characterized by lower wind speeds than hurricanes, and their duration of action is up to several days.

Depending on the time of year, their formation and the involvement of particles of different compositions in the air, dusty, dustless, snow and squall storms are distinguished.

Dust (sand) storms are accompanied by the transfer of large amounts of soil and sand. They occur in desert, semi-desert and plowed steppes and are capable of transporting millions of tons of dust over hundreds and even thousands of kilometers. Such storms occur mainly in the summer, during dry winds, sometimes in the spring and during snowless winters. In the steppe zone they usually arise due to irrational plowing of land. In the Russian Federation northern border The distribution of dust storms passes through Saratov, Samara, Ufa, Orenburg and the foothills of Altai.

Dustless storms are characterized by the absence of dust entrainment into the air and a relatively smaller scale of destruction and damage. However, as they move further, they can turn into dust or snow storms, depending on the composition and condition of the surface layer of the earth and the presence of snow cover.

Snow storms are also characterized by significant wind speeds, which contribute to the movement of huge masses of snow through the air in winter. Their duration ranges from several hours to several days. They have a relatively narrow range (from several kilometers to several tens of kilometers). Blizzards great strength found on the plains of the European part of the Russian Federation and in the steppe part of Siberia.

Squalls are characterized by an almost sudden onset, an equally rapid end, a short duration of action and enormous destructive power. These storms are widespread throughout the European part of Russia, both in marine areas (here they are called squalls) and on land.

Tornado (tornado)- an atmospheric vortex that arises in a thundercloud and often spreads to the surface of the earth. It has the appearance of a column, sometimes with a curved axis of rotation, with a diameter of tens to hundreds of meters with funnel-shaped extensions at the top and bottom. The air in a tornado rotates counterclockwise at a speed of up to 100 m/s and at the same time rises in a spiral, drawing dust, water and various objects from the ground. Tornadoes do not exist for long - from several minutes to several hours, during which time they travel from hundreds of meters to several tens of kilometers.

Tornadoes are divided according to their structure into dense (sharply limited) and vague (unclearly limited). Based on time and spatial impact, they are divided into small short-acting tornadoes (up to 1 km), small tornadoes (up to 10 km) and tornadoes - hurricane vortices (more than 10 km).

A tornado is almost always clearly visible, and a deafening roar is heard as it approaches. The average speed of its movement is 50-60 km/h.

Tornadoes are observed in all regions of the globe. In Russia, tornadoes most often occur in the Volga region and Siberia, in the Urals and the Black Sea coast.

Consequences of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes. Hurricanes, storms and tornadoes are among the most powerful forces of nature and in their destructive effects are often comparable to an earthquake. They cause significant destruction and cause great damage national economy, lead to human casualties.

The main indicator that determines the destructive effect of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes is the high-speed pressure of air masses, which determines the force of the dynamic impact and has a throwing effect.

Hurricane winds damage strong and demolish light buildings, break power and communication lines, devastate fields, break and uproot trees.

People caught in the hurricane zone are defeated by being thrown through the air (thrown), struck by flying objects, struck and crushed by collapsed structures.

Buildings collapsing under the influence of hurricanes crush those inside them. As a result, people die, receive injuries of varying severity and concussion.

Possible destruction of buildings and structures during hurricanes and tornadoes is divided into complete, strong and weak.

In case of complete destruction, only the foundations and basements of buildings, as well as buried structures and shelters are preserved. Such objects cannot subsequently be restored or used. Such destruction is rarely observed.

Severe damage is characterized by the collapse of the walls of the upper floors. Lower floors and the underground premises of the buildings are preserved. Utility networks are torn or deformed.

The possibility of restoring such objects is associated with their reconstruction.

With moderate damage, strong structures (walls, ceilings, stairs) are preserved. Damage to utility networks at joints is possible. Objects with such damage are restored in full.

Weak damage includes deformation of light extensions, window and door frames, cornices and roofs. Inside buildings, partitions and wall plaster are damaged. With such minor damage, restoration of the premises is carried out, as a rule, during the operation of the structures.

A hurricane, passing over the ocean, forms powerful clouds that are sources of catastrophic downpours that cause floods not only in coastal areas, but also over large areas of the continent. The rainfall that accompanies hurricanes is also the cause of natural phenomena such as mudflows and landslides.

A common secondary consequence of a hurricane is fires that occur as a result of accidents in power supply systems, leaks of flammable substances, and violations of the localization of fire sources at work and at home.

Storms, due to the fact that their characteristic wind speeds are much lower than those of hurricanes, lead to much less destructive consequences. However, if they are accompanied by the transfer of sand, dust or snow, significant damage is possible agriculture, transport and other industries.

Dust storms cover fields, populated areas and roads with a layer of dust and sand, sometimes reaching several tens of centimeters, over areas of hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. Under such conditions, the yield is significantly reduced or completely lost, and high costs forces and funds to clean up populated areas, roads and restore agricultural land.

Snow storms (blizzards) in our country often reach great strength over vast areas. Their consequence is the cessation of traffic in cities, rural areas and on roads, the death of farm animals and even people. Such situations disrupt the production rhythm throughout the country and require significant expenditure of effort and funds for restoration work, especially on railways and roads.

Strong winds at low temperatures air conditions contribute to the occurrence of such dangerous meteorological phenomena as ice, frost and frost. As a result, failure of overhead power and communication lines, contact networks of electrified transport, antenna masts and other similar structures is possible.

Thus, hurricanes and storms, dangerous in themselves, are characterized by destruction and casualties.

A tornado, in contact with the surface of the earth, often causes the same degree of destruction that occurs during strong hurricane winds, but over much smaller areas. These destructions are associated with the action of rapidly rotating air and a sharp upward rise of air masses. As a result, some objects (cars, light houses, roofs of buildings, people and animals) can be lifted off the ground and transported hundreds of meters, causing their destruction: people receive injuries and concussions, and sometimes die. At the same time, due to the entrainment of a huge number of objects into the air, significant indirect injuries to people are observed.