Technically, a tornado is just a mini hurricane. The processes that are involved in each are very similar (wind and air masses mostly) that they are in the same category. Pretty cool.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

i disagree. i don't think you can classify a tornado as a mini hurricane or as even the same type of natural disaster. there is only a few things these have in common such as the way they get energy from above, or that they both are affected by the coriolis effect. the way they are formed and they structures inside and out are quite different.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I see your point. Actually though, a hurricane draws its energy from the warm water and a tornado gets its energy from spinning air masses. But, although their effects and locations of occurrence are much different, scientifically they are rather similar.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Explain to me why you say a tornado is technically a mini hurricane, I'm interested. This isn't being condescending, by the way, I'm truly interested.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's pretty simple. They both are cyclonic storms and they both behave in similar manners.If you understand one, then understanding the other is a lot simpler. I think you can go to the NOAA website, or some meteorology website and learn more about it. I learned it in my Geology 101 class and it is pretty interesting when you get down to the physics of it!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I have to agree with mr_e. There structures, once formed, are different. Hurricanes build over time and remain for quite a while. There is no real warning for when a tornado will strike, other than a few general signs that may or may not cause a tornado, and tornadoes are generally short-lived and disappear in a relatively short amount of time.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You are correct. To simplify what I am saying, tornadoes and hurricanes are both cyclonic storm systems. Though they differ in many ways, they both are associated with clouds, rain and spinning. Simple as that.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But they aren't the same thing. Humans and monkeys are both associated with having opposable thumbs, being able to walk on two legs, and domesticating dogs(yes, monkeys have been observed stealing puppies from villages and raising them as pets) but monkeys are not miniature people.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yes, but I never stated they are the same thing. They are similar, but not the same. So your idea of monkeys and humans is correct, and quite relatable in this discussion.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

"Technically, a tornado is just a mini hurricane." It's not a miniature either.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's not saying they're the same thing, though. That statement I made is true only when you classify them as cyclonic systems. When you look at them for what they are, they couldn't be more different.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Anywhere in that last statement did I say that you said they were the same? No. I said tornadoes are not mini hurricanes, which you did in fact state, thus the quotations. Just because humans and monkeys are both classified as primates doesn't mean monkeys are mini humans. Yes, tornadoes and hurricanes are both cyclonic systems. Tornadoes are not miniatures of hurricanes.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Okay. Calm down. Tornadoes are not miniature hurricanes. However, they are in the same classification, that's all I was trying to say.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I am perfectly calm, thank you. And you spent that whole time reasoning why tornadoes are miniature hurricanes because of their similarities.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Okay.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Honestly, looking at the points you raised to Um, I don't see how you can say that they are in the same classification if you are just basically comparing them because they are both associated with rain, clouds, and spinning. Could you explain a little bit more as to how that could be a classification? Is it based solely on the cyclonic patterns and precipitation? Or is there more to your thought process?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Apparently people on here just don't understand meteorological science. So, no, I won't explain it. If you are actually interested you can Google it, in which you will find that they are quite similar in ways, and quite dissimilar in others.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Okay, no, let's back up. Relax, don't get angry. I do happen to understand meteorological science. I'm actually pretty darn good at it. That was why I was intrigued as to how you said that tornadoes were technically mini hurricanes, I wanted to see another view on the matter. Do not be rude. Just because they do not understand what you were trying to say/ want to know more doesn't mean they don't understand meteorology.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

And in no way am I being rude. I was simply saying that because people like to get into these long conversations in the comments of posts and it really annoys me. I'm not trying to come off as rude. I am no meteorologist, yet, and I was just simply stating one of the things I've learned so far. If you are actually interested in seeing the similarities, then I would suggest maybe talking to a science teacher or looking it up on a university website. To answer your question from above, I think if they are in the same classification, then I would say yes, it is in relation to cyclonic patterns and precipitation. I also think that the fact that hurricanes and tornadoes like to form in the same places and follow the same routes is really interesting. Hurricanes in the Atlantic and tornadoes in the mid-west. That's one similarity that it strikingly interesting when you're trying to classify them in the same group.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

When you said, "Apparently people on here just don't understand meteorological science. So, no, I won't explain it." it seemed a bit rude, but, if you did not intend for it to be rude, it's alright. I will ignore your wording for the rest of that because I'm probably overreacting. I see your point now. I'm not a meteorologist yet, either, but I do enjoy seeing someone else's point of view on this little mini "debate." To make it even more interesting (because we both enjoy studying weather), look at the relation to amount of tornadoes to hurricanes per year, even if just earlier this year. It's amazing how weather works.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah, sorry. Some people who are just so intent to prove their point just bug me. Anyway, weather is pretty great. And if you look at the fact that hurricane season starts right when tornado season ends (they kind of overlap a little) it's pretty interesting; they occur around the same time and it's all do to warm water and air. It's crazy to think about how it works.

by Anonymous 12 years ago