The Chainsaw Tornado: The Super Tornado That Sweeps Everything Away

2. How Chainsaw Tornadoes Form

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Under particular meteorological circumstances that support the growth of strong thunderstorms, chainsaw tornadoes arise. The process starts with the interaction between cooler, drier air aloft and warm, moist air near the surface. This atmospheric instability sets the stage for thunderstorm development. When these elements line together, they can create supercell thunderstorms—the main creators of chainsaw tornadoes. The whirling updrafts of supercell storms—known as mesocyclones—set them apart. Warm, wet air rising inside the storm cools and condenses to create clouds and precipitation. Wind shear—that is, the change in wind speed and direction with altitude—started the storm's turn. Strong updrafts of the supercell can tilt the horizontal spinning action produced in the atmosphere into a vertical orientation. The circumstances have to stay favourable for a tornado to develop once the mesocyclone has developed. Strong updrafts are absolutely necessary since they aid to stretch and boost the rotation. Strong enough updrafts can produce a low-pressure area beneath the storm that might cause a tornado to form. Usually forming when the updraft is especially strong, chainsaw tornadoes enable the fast intensification of the tornado. A chainsaw tornado can have somewhat different strength and duration. While some may land for just a few minutes, others might last for more than an hour, doing significant devastation across a huge area. Strong enough winds produced by most violent chainsaw tornadoes can topple well-built buildings, uproot trees, and toss trash hundreds of yards distant. For meteorologists and emergency responders trying to forecast and minimise the effects of these tornadoes, knowledge of their development is absolutely vital.