Natural Disasters
In wake of the Oklahoma disaster and, myself, living in a state that is part of Tornado Alley I have chosen to discuss tornados as my natural disaster. The conditions required for development of tornadoes begins with a low level of moisture that is triggered by a cold front or other low level zone of converging wind, lifting the moist air up. As the air begins to rise it becomes saturated, it will continue rising to produce a thunderstorm cloud in an unstable atmosphere. Tornadoes usually form in areas where winds are strong and turn in a clockwise or veering direction (The Weather Channel, 1995-2012).
Tornados can happen during any time of the year but peak season tends to be spring. Spring is when conditions for tornado tend to be more favorable, with unstable weather being more common. Typically forecasters examine observations and computer data to locate regions where strong instability and wind shear coexist, these factors indicating the possibility of tornado conditions (TWC, 1995-2012).
The Enhanced Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale is used to rate the intensity of tornados. The Fujita scale has a range from F0-F5 based upon the type and severity of damage the tornado produced and approximate wind speed ranges for each damage category (TWC, 1995-2012). With the Oklahoma disaster making National news we are able to see firsthand the damage these types of natural phenomena cause. Experts in this field are estimating the damage to be near $2 billion, with the loss of homes, school, medical buildings, and private sector structures to name a few (Belvedere, 2013).
As far as saving buildings and homes from loss, that has yet to be discovered. We can baton down the hatches only so much. However saving the lives of people in the affected areas has been more successful. With early detection systems in use the National Weather Service is able to warn people prior to an event so that they can seek shelter, allowing lives to be spared. Unfortunately in some cases not all lives are spared and tragedy occurs in the wake of these events.
Reference
Belvedere,
M. (2013, May 12). Oklahoma
Tornado Damage Could Hit $2 Billion: Expert. CNBC. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/id/100753925
