Tornado Facts

8/9/2017 (Permalink)

According to the weather channel, Georgia is the U.S. state with the most tornadoes so far in 2017, setting a new state record of 102 tornadoes. With that in mind it is important to be knowledgeable and up to date on these facts about tornadoes.

Tornadoes are arguably nature's most violent storms. Generated from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes generally appear as rotating, funnel-shaped clouds extending from the closed base to the ground. With winds that can reach up to 300 miles per hour, tornadoes can cause massive destruction within seconds. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and fifty miles long.

• The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 miles per hour, but may vary from stationary to 70 miles per hour. 
• Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

If a storm does happen to occur, please don't hesitate to contact us at 404-378-9998!