Debris Clouds Visual Cues of a Tornado Touchdown

A  debris cloud forms when the wind speeds of a tornado pick up very heavy objects and swirl them around in a dense cloud around the base or the funnel cloud itself. One of the most dangerous parts of a  tornado  can be its debris cloud.   In fact, items such as trucks, tractors, cars, animals, and people can be swirled around in a debris cloud. Not all tornadoes produce heavy debris clouds and not all tornadoes have enough sustained winds to pull up large objects. Therefore, the primary component of most debris clouds is dust and small bits of debris. Debris Formation A tornados debris cloud actually starts to form even before the funnel descends from the thunderstorm cloud downward to the ground. As the funnel descends, dust and loose objects on the area directly underneath it at the Earths surface will begin rotating and may even lift several feet off of the ground and swing out hundreds of yards wide in response to the air movement above. After the funnel touches the ground and becomes a tornado,  the debris cloud travels along with the storm.   As the tornado travels along its path, its winds continue to carry nearby objects airborne. The size of the objects within  its debris cloud depend on the strength of the tornados winds. Usually, however, the debris cloud whirls around smaller objects and dirt particles while the funnel cloud carries larger debris pieces. This is why the debris cloud color is normally gray or black. It can take on other colors depending on what it picks up. Keeping Safe From Tornado Debris The majority of tornado injuries and deaths occur not because of storm winds, but because of debris. In fact, the three main tornado safety tips—get low and cover your head, wear a helmet, wear shoes—are all meant to reduce your risk of encountering debris. Take the duck and cover position: By getting as low to the ground as you can you reduce the chance of being struck by airborne objects and debris. Covering your head with your arms or a blanket provides an extra layer of defense.Wear  a helmet: Since 2011, many people have added a bike, motorcycle, or sports helmet to their tornado preparedness kit. As bizarre as it sounds, when you consider that the single largest cause of tornado deaths is head trauma it suddenly makes good sense.  Wear  shoes:  If a tornado strikes when youre at home, youll likely be barefoot or wearing socks, which means your feet will be defenseless as you navigate your way over litter and glass after the storm. This is why its a good idea to always include a pair of lightweight portable footwear in your safety kit. By observing the takeoff and landing points of storm debris, scientists are able to learn how the debris, and therefore, the storm, traveled.   Updated by Tiffany Means