Latest news with #destructivewinds
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tornado debris can travel surprisingly far after a violent storm
Intense tornadoes are capable of producing destructive winds of more than 300 km/h. These whirlwinds can reduce the mightiest oak tree to splinters and entirely demolish a solidly built home. All that debris doesn't stick around where it came apart. A tornado can loft debris hundreds of kilometres away from where it originated—and some of that debris is incredibly heavy. DON'T MISS: Tornadoes suck upward like a vacuum Tornadic winds are capable of producing tremendous damage on their own. But these storms are unique in that they suck upward rather than just blowing wind around in a circle. This upward component of the violent winds provide tornadoes the leverage they need to peel roofs from homes, uproot trees, and toss vehicles as if they were toys. Winds within a twister extend from the surface deep into the heart of its parent thunderstorm. While most debris falls back to the ground in a hurry, some objects can loft high into the thunderstorm—and then take a long ride on upper-level winds. It's common after a violent tornado to see debris travel dozens, if not hundreds, of kilometres downwind from the point of damage. This is called debris fallout—and it's actually possible to see it on weather radar. The radar image above shows the debris fallout from a violent tornado in southern Mississippi on April 12, 2020. A powerful EF-4 tornado damaged or destroyed thousands of structures along its 110-kilometre path. Special technology embedded in weather radar allows us to 'see' debris suspended in the atmosphere during and after a tornado. The tornado itself is visible as a tight ball of debris. Strong upper-level winds blew a tremendous amount of debris downwind, which the radar was easily able to detect. It takes tremendous forces to loft heavy debris like metal and wood long distances. A strong EF-2 tornado in April 2018 struck Greensboro, North Carolina, and tossed heavy pieces of corrugated metal nearly 30 kilometres downwind. Lighter objects like envelopes and photographs are known to travel hundreds of kilometres. One paper published in 1998 found that pieces of paper had been transported up to 335 km downwind from a tornado. Another study in 1995 found that a twister in Barneveld, Wisconsin, had transported 'traceable' pieces of paper—such as invoices and personal cheques—177 km away from the damaged town. Header image of tornado damage in Mississippi on April 12, 2020, courtesy of NOAA/NWS. WATCH: Don't fall victim to these dangerous tornado myths Click here to view the video
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
Millions in firing line as enormous cold front smashes almost every state
Millions of residents are set to be soaked this week, as a cold front settles across almost every state in the country. The cold front is sweeping across the southeastern coast of Australia, with heavy rain, destructive winds, snow and hail threatening to smash South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and parts of NSW. This is after a cold front passed over Western Australia on Monday, bringing wet weather, chilly temperatures and damaging winds. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said winds would move from South Australia from Tuesday afternoon and head towards the east, picking up speeds of up to 80km/h in parts of Victoria and 110km/h in Tasmania. 'We actually saw one particularly strong wind gust at Mount Hotham in Victoria of 150km/h (overnight), which is really quite strong' Mr Hines said. He said the extreme wind speeds at Mt Hotham were 'a bit of an outlier', but it could indicate the 'strength of those very high-end gusts that are possible today'. A severe weather waning has been issued for Victoria's Great Dividing Range, as a strong northerly flow triggers destructive winds across northern Melbourne's northern suburbs, the Mornington Peninsula, the Dandenong Ranges, the Otway ranges and the surf coast. Locations possibly affected include Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Daylesford, Falls Creek, Tullamarine, Yarra Glen, Sorrento, the Dandenong Ranges, Mt Baw Baw and Kyneton. 'We could see more gusts of 90, 100, 120 kilometres an hour, (with the) potential for some branches and trees down, property damage, power outages, that kind of thing,' he said. The wild weather will also hit much of northwestern Tasmania too. The bureau issued a severe weather warning issued for the North-West Coast, Western, Central Plateau, Central North and Midlands districts, with gusts expected to reach in excess of 110km/h. Locations that may be affected by the damaging wind gusts include Devonport, Burnie, Strahan, Smithton, Oatlands and Bothwell. The wind is also 'sneaking across the state border into the Snowy Mountains of NSW', Mr Hines told NewsWire. 'So lots of damaging wind warnings for today,' he said. Aside from the destructive winds, Mr Hines said residents could also expect to see 'a little bit of snow' and 'a little hail' but clarified the conditions wouldn't be 'too significant'. The bureau also warned of plummeting temperatures. '(We can expect) some chillier temperatures as well spreading across the country, sort of behind the system in the wake of it as it moves through,' he said. 'July often our coldest month, so even if we see temperatures of two or three degrees below average at this time of year, that's a pretty cold day, particularly across the southern parts of the country.' The icy conditions are expected to continue, with a second cold front forecast to hit Western Australia on Wednesday, starting in Perth and spreading across to Sydney by the weekend, bringing another cold snap and plenty of wet weather with it. '(The second cold front) will follow that very typical pattern that we see a lot of these weather systems do,' Mr Hines said. 'Starting off in Perth in the west and then making its way across the southeast and then getting across to Sydney.' He said it would take 'a few days' for the front to move east but cautioned it contained 'a lot more tropical moisture' than the first cold front, meaning residents are set to be soaked. 'This next weather system coming in a few days' time is going to bring more extensive and heavier rain as it crosses over the country,' Mr Hines said. The rain will likely blanket almost every state and territory in the country, including Western Australia, 'almost all' of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and 'even the majority' of Queensland. 'The falls aren't going to be sort of absolutely massive but really a solid dose of rain for a lot of people in the country,' he said. On Tuesday, Brisbane residents can expect a partly cloudy day with a medium chance of showers and top of 22C. It will also be partly cloudy for Sydney, with a chance of showers in the evening and a maximum temperature of 20C. Canberra will cop cloudy skies and a high chance of showers, with a top of 16C. Melbourne residents can expect a very high chance of showers and damaging winds, with a top of 16C. It will be similar in Hobart on Tuesday, with high chance of showers in the afternoon and evening and a top of 17C. In Adelaide, residents can expect lots of showers and a small chance of hail, with strong winds and a maximum temperature of 13C.
RNZ News
20-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Hong Kong axes flights, classes as Typhoon Wipha approaches
Barricades blown down in the Central District as Typhoon Wipha moves towards Hong Kong on July 20, 2025. Photo: PETER PARKS Hong Kong has issued its highest tropical cyclone warning as Typhoon Wipha batters the city, with authorities cancelling classes and grounding hundreds of flights. Wipha was located around 60 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong as of 10:00am (0200 GMT), according to the city's weather observatory. Huge waves were spotted off the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island. The observatory has issued the T10 hurricane alert, saying "winds with mean speeds of 118 kilometres per hour or more are expected" and pose "considerable threat to Hong Kong". "Under the influence of its eyewall, hurricane force winds are affecting the southern part of the territory," the observatory said, warning the public to "beware of destructive winds". China's Hainan and Guangdong provinces were also put on high alert, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. A representative from Hong Kong's Airport Authority said around 500 flights had been cancelled due to weather, while around 400 flights were scheduled to take off or land later in the day. More than 200 people have sought refuge at government-run temporary shelters. One man sought medical treatment at the emergency room of a public hospital on Sunday morning, with officials receiving more than a dozen reports of fallen trees. Authorities suspended Sunday's classes at all day schools and daycare centres. Local trains offered limited services while operations in open sections were suspended. Wipha brought heavy rains and flooding to the Philippines and two people have been reported missing, according to the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Hong Kong last hoisted the T10 warning signal for Super Typhoon Saola in 2023. - AFP
