Explore the fascinating and destructive world of tornadoes, from their formation to the famous 'Tornado Alley' in the American heartland.
On March 18, 1925, the Tri-State Tornado carved a 219-mile path of destruction across parts of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people and setting records as the deadliest and longest-tracked single tornado in U.S. history. Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. Their intensity is classified using the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which ranges from EF0 to EF5; an EF5 rating indicates incredible destruction with wind speeds exceeding 200 mph. The highest wind speed ever measured in a tornado reached 301 mph during the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore event in Oklahoma.
Tornadoes develop from severe thunderstorms under specific atmospheric conditions that include warm, moist air, cold dry air aloft, and wind shear, which collectively create a rotating updraft known as a mesocyclone. The United States experiences an average of 1,000 to 1,225 tornadoes annually. A notable concentration of these storms occurs in "Tornado Alley," a loosely defined region primarily encompassing states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, though recent data suggests a shift in tornado activity eastward.
Here is one question from the Twister Territory: The Science of Tornadoes quiz. Expand the card to reveal the correct answer — then host a live game to play all 20.
Correct Answer: Enhanced Fujita
Play solo now, or host a room to play the full Twister Territory: The Science of Tornadoes quiz competitively with friends or your class — fastest finger wins, scores update live on every screen.
▶ Play NowThis trivia quiz covers key facts, actors, characters, and milestones including: