Vortex Breakdown
•Most tornadoes remain as a narrow column of rising rotation air, but
vortex breakdown can occur in some tornadoes, which can cause the tornado to expand to a
very large size.
•AàB: the tornado vortex
transforms from a rotating updraft to a structure with a downdraft at its
core.
•BàC: updraft displaced to
the outside of the central downdraft.
•CàD: when the central
downdraft reaches the ground, strong wind shear between the downdraft and updraft
areas lead to the formation of smaller vortices, called suction vortices.
•The strongest winds in tornadoes occur in suction vortices (can be
290mph).