A tornado is a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. It is often visible as a funnel-shaped cloud that can cause tremendous destruction with extremely high wind speeds, sometimes exceeding 300 miles per hour. Tornadoes can destroy buildings, uproot trees, and hurl debris over long distances. They most commonly form in severe thunderstorms where warm, moist air meets cooler, dry air, creating unstable atmospheric conditions that result in rotation and the development of tornadoes.
