What is the difference between a hurricane and a tornado?
A hurricane is a huge storm hundreds of kilometers wide that forms over warm oceans and lasts for days. A tornado is a small, violent spinning column of air that forms over land and usually lasts minutes.
Hurricanes can measure 300 to 1,000 kilometers across and are tracked for days or even weeks as they cross oceans. They form from clusters of thunderstorms over warm tropical water. Forecasters can usually warn people several days before a hurricane reaches land.
Tornadoes are much smaller, often less than a few hundred meters wide, but they can have the fastest winds on Earth, sometimes over 400 kilometers per hour. They form from powerful thunderstorms called supercells, usually over land. Warnings often come only minutes before they strike.
Where they happen
The United States has more tornadoes than any other country, especially in an area of the central US called Tornado Alley. Hurricanes affect coastlines in places like the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the US East Coast. Hurricanes can also spawn tornadoes when they come ashore.
Did You Know?
Tornadoes are rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale, from EF0 to EF5, based on the damage they cause.