What is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane. Safety of industrial activity. The strongest hurricane in the world

Emergencies such as natural disasters pose the greatest threat to all life. Often they occur absolutely suddenly, catching a person by surprise. Tornadoes and hurricanes belong to the category of natural phenomena resulting from sudden pressure drops in the atmosphere. Fortunately, most of us have not had to face the mentioned elements closely. Therefore, their scale and destructive power are not known to everyone. In this article we will tell you how a tornado differs from a hurricane.

Definitions

Tornado- an atmospheric vortex that arises in a thundercloud and descends down. Often reaches the very surface of the earth. It has the appearance of a trunk or cloud sleeve, the diameter of which covers tens, and sometimes even hundreds of meters. A similar natural phenomenon, formed above the water surface, is often referred to as a "tornado". But in general, there is no fundamental difference between the two definitions. Tornado and tornado are synonymous words. The very same term in question comes from the old Russian "smirch", which means "cloud" in translation. The longest disaster in time was recorded in the United States in 1917. In almost 7.5 hours, the whirlwind covered a distance of 500 km and caused the death of 110 people. Often a tornado is hidden behind a layer of rain and dust, and therefore meteorologists cannot recognize it in a timely manner.

Tornado

Hurricane- the strongest wind, the speed of which can reach 120 kilometers per hour. The strength of the elements is determined on a 12-point scale. In scale, this natural phenomenon is comparable to an earthquake. It covers a vast territory and lasts several days. According to the observations of scientists, hurricanes occur mainly at the end of summer. At this time, already fairly heated water begins to evaporate intensively. Cold streams come from the bottom, giving rise to a vortex several tens of kilometers wide on the surface. Moreover, absolutely calm weather remains at the epicenter of the funnel, and the wind and storm rage along the edges. Gradually, the hurricane is transferred to land, where it loses its strength for several days. In Russia, disasters of this magnitude were observed in Chukotka, Kamchatka and Sakhalin, as well as in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories.

Comparison

To begin with, we note that both of the phenomena under consideration represent the rapid movement of the wind in a certain direction. They can safely be called atmospheric vortices. However, if a tornado originates in the sky, then a hurricane originates in the sea. The funnel of the first does not exceed 3 km in diameter. The average speed of the elements is from 20 to 60 km per hour. As for the duration of the phenomenon, the maximum period of its activity is only a few hours. A hurricane, on the other hand, is a much larger disaster in terms of area coverage. Moving at a speed of 120-200 km per hour, it affects huge areas. The life cycle of a natural phenomenon averages 9-12 days. The diameter of the epicenter of the disaster ranges from 5 to 20 km.

Perhaps the main difference between a tornado and a hurricane is the extent of its destruction. Despite the relatively small diameter of the funnel, the first phenomenon has simply unimaginable power. It is able to lift up an object, the weight of which reaches several tons. An area of ​​extremely rarefied air is created in the center of the funnel. Objects that fall into it, including houses, can simply explode from the inside. In the radius of passage of the tornado, nothing remains intact. Whereas in the epicenter of the hurricane there is a so-called eye - a calm area with moderate winds. Being in it, a person may mistakenly think that the disaster has receded. However, at the moment the hurricane moves, the wind will break out with new force, while blowing in the opposite direction. It rips roofs off houses, shatters glass, lifts cars and other objects into the air, etc. Buildings, on the other hand, often remain standing still.

To summarize, what is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane.

Air-mechanical foam (VMP). It is a mixture of air, water and a foaming agent. It can be ordinary - 90% air and 10% aqueous solution of a foaming agent (multiplicity up to 12%) and high-expansion - 99% air, about 1% water and 0.04% foaming agent (multiplicity of 100% or more). The resistance of air-mechanical foam is somewhat less than that of chemical foam. The durability decreases with an increase in the foam expansion index. The fire-extinguishing effect of air-mechanical foam is based on thermal and moisture insulation and cooling of combustible substances. On the surface of burning liquids, the foam forms a stable film that does not collapse under the action of a flame for 30 minutes, which is enough to extinguish combustible and flammable liquids in tanks of any diameter. Air-mechanical foam is completely harmless to people, does not cause corrosion of metals, is practically electrically neutral and very economical. It is also used to extinguish solid combustible substances - such as wood, chemical fibers and others.

Extinguishing with inert gases. Inert gases (002 and Nz) and water vapor have the ability to quickly mix with combustible vapors and gases, while lowering the oxygen concentration, contributing to the cessation of combustion of most combustible substances. The fire-extinguishing effect of inert gases and water vapor is also explained by the fact that they dilute the combustible medium, while lowering the temperature in the fire, resulting in a difficulty in the combustion process.

Carbon dioxide is widely used to accelerate the elimination of the source of combustion (within 2-10 seconds), which is especially important when extinguishing small surfaces of flammable liquids, internal combustion engines, electric motors and other electrical installations, as well as to prevent ignition and explosion during storage of flammable liquids, production and transportation of combustible dusts (for example, coal). To extinguish fires with carbon dioxide, automatic stationary installations are used, as well as manual mobile and portable fire extinguishers. Solid fire extinguishing agents. To eliminate small fires of substances that cannot be extinguished with water and other fire-neutralizing agents, solid substances in the form of powders are used. These include chlorides of alkali and alkaline earth metals (fluxes), albumin - containing substances, dry residue from the evaporation of sulfate alkalis, carnallite, bicarbonate and carbonic soda, potash, quartz, solid carbon dioxide, sand, earth and others. The fire-extinguishing effect of powdered substances lies in the fact that during melting, accompanied by the formation of a film, they isolate the fire zone with their mass, impede air access to it, cool the combustible substance, and mechanically knock down the flame. Near the place of their storage, you must have at least 1-2 shovels.

The choice of certain fire extinguishing installations or other fire extinguishing means is determined in each individual case, based on the specific stage of fire development, the scale of combustion and the characteristics of the combustion of substances and materials. Foam installations are widely used at enterprises where combustible liquids with a vapor flash point above 28 ° C and solid combustible materials and products (chemical fibers) are stored and processed. To eliminate fires in the initial stage, asbestos or felt cloths can be used, which, when densely covered with a burning object, prevents air from entering the combustion zone.

Fire extinguishers are an effective means of extinguishing a small fire. Discontinuous powder (OP) fire extinguishers are designed to extinguish fires of gasoline, diesel fuel, varnishes, paints and other combustible liquids, as well as electrical installations under voltage up to 1000 V. Cylinder capacity - 2, 5 and 8 l, jet output duration - 10-25 seconds, extinguishing area - 0.41-1.1 m2 up to +50° С, as well as live electrical equipment. Cylinder capacity - 2, 5 and 8 liters. The charge of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers by weight is checked once every 3 months. Weight loss should not exceed 10%. Charging is done in special workshops. Their validity period is 5 years less than powder fire extinguishers. Air-foam fire extinguishers (OVP) are used to extinguish fires of liquid and solids and materials, with the exception of alkaline and alkaline earth materials and their alloys, as well as for extinguishing fires in electrical equipment under voltage. Used at temperatures from +5 to +50 ° C. Cylinder capacity - 5 and 10 l, jet length - from 3 to 4.5 m, duration of action - 20-45 s, extinguishing area - 0.4 -0.5 m2 to achieve the greatest efficiency of fire extinguishers, it is necessary to bring them into working condition near the place of combustion, so as not to lose extinguishing agents, but to act quickly, since they work for a short time (foam 20-45 s, carbon dioxide 15-25 s, powder 10-25 s ). When extinguishing solid substances and objects with foam fire extinguishers, a jet is directed to the places of the most intense burning, gradually knocking down the fire from top to bottom. The spilled liquid is extinguished from the edges, gradually covering the burning surface with foam. When extinguishing burning substances with powder fire extinguishers, the entire surface should be covered with powder. Powder fire extinguishers can extinguish a TV, even included in the network. To extinguish the engine of the car, automatic aerosol extinguishing installations have been created, which are installed under the hood of the car. Chemical-foam fire extinguishers OHP - 10, chemical air-foam OHVP - 10 are used for extinguishing combustible materials, with the exception of electrical installations under voltage. The principle of their operation is based on the interaction of the acid part of the charge (aqueous solution of a sulfuric acid salt) and the alkaline part (aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate) with the formation of carbon dioxide and foam. The OHVP-10 fire extinguisher differs from the OHP-10 in the composition of the charge and an additional nozzle for the formation of air-mechanical foam.

What is the difference between a hurricane and a storm

Exist different kinds storms, but they all have one thing in common: they basically represent the rapid movement of air from one place to another.

A storm during which it rains, thunder rumbles and lightning flashes is called a thunderstorm, or thunderstorm. If the wind picks up along the way a large number of dust, then such a storm is called a dust storm. A storm at sea is a storm. The most dangerous and destructive types of storms are hurricane and tornado.

Hurricanes are storms that start in tropical latitudes. For example, in North America they most often pass in the Gulf of Mexico, then rolling along the entire eastern coast of the continent. Exactly the same storms are crashing in. islands and coasts Far East and in the China Sea, but there they are called typhoons. The common name for both species is a tropical storm.

As a rule, a hurricane covers an area with a diameter of 150 to 600 km, while wind speeds reach from 120 to 200 km/h. A distinctive feature of hurricanes is a calm spot in its very center, called the eye of a hurricane. Its size ranges from 5 to 20 km in diameter. When a person enters this zone, it begins to seem to him that the hurricane is over. However, as soon as the "eye" of the hurricane passes further, the wind rises with no less force, although it blows in the direction opposite to the previous one. This is because a hurricane is a ring storm. In other words, the winds blow in a circle as the hurricane moves forward.

A cyclone that originates over the ocean is called either a tropical storm, or a typhoon, or a hurricane. But how are they different?

tropical storm called a cyclone wind speed in which does not exceed 117 km / h (or 30 m / s). As soon as the wind in a tropical storm exceeds this figure, it is called a Hurricane or Typhoon. What is the difference between them? No!

Hurricane or in English hurricane- named after the Mayan wind god Huracan. A hurricane is commonly referred to as a tropical cyclone in South and North America.

Typhoon- this is the name of the cyclone in the Far East and Southeast Asia.

Tropical cyclones can cause not only extreme downpours, but also large waves on the sea surface, storm surges and tornadoes. Tropical cyclones can form and maintain their strength only over the surface of large bodies of water, while over land they quickly lose strength. That is why coastal areas and islands suffer the most from the destruction they cause, while areas inland are relatively safe. However, heavy rains caused by tropical cyclones can cause significant flooding a little further from the coast, at a distance of up to 40 km. Although the effect of tropical cyclones on humans is often very negative, significant amounts of water can end droughts. Tropical cyclones carry a large amount of energy from tropical to temperate latitudes, which makes them an important component of global atmospheric circulation processes. Thanks to them, the difference in temperature in different parts of the Earth's surface is reduced, which allows the existence of a more temperate climate on the entire surface of the planet.

Dominican Republic prepares for a hurricane - it will take more than a year to recover Live webcams in Florida (Miami, Tampa, Key West…) — Hurricane Irma Cuban capital Havana submerged after Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma makes it to Georgia - there are dead

Throughout its existence, humanity is constantly faced with such natural phenomena, against which it is not able to resist. Despite the achieved level of technological progress, humanity is unable to control a tornado, typhoon, tornado. The characteristics of these elements are given below.

One of the most dangerous is considered a tornado. It reminds one that descended to the surface of the earth for some kind of "dance". Its span is usually up to 400 m, less often it can reach 3000 m. For many, it is a mystery how a tornado differs from a tornado. This is what we have to find out.

What is a tornado?

A tornado is a huge funnel that descends from a thundercloud to the ground. It can travel both on land and water. The lower part of the funnel resembles a cloud, which consists of dust, dirt, and various objects.

Some confuse it with a dusty whirlwind, but this is a serious misconception. The tornado is associated with a thundercloud, it is part of it, resembling a trunk that descended to the ground. He cannot tear himself away from his cloud. And dusty and sandy whirlwinds have nothing to do with thunderstorms.

Causes of a tornado

Mankind has not yet been able to understand, and tornadoes. Their appearance is associated with the process when moist warm air is very close to cold dry air. At the same time, their contact should take place over a cold area of ​​\u200b\u200bland or water. Warm air is between low temperatures.

Due to the fact that the process of the appearance of a tornado is a kind of chain reaction, this destructive natural phenomenon is often compared to an atomic bomb.

Due to the interaction of cold and warm flows, a trunk is formed, which cools and falls down. Behind it, the rarefaction zone also descends, which draws everything in its path into itself.

The danger of a natural phenomenon

The whole danger of a tornado lies in its trunk. Depending on its own size, it is able to draw into itself and lift any objects to a great height. They also include people. Dissolving in the atmosphere, it subsides and everything above the ground falls down.

If the vortex is unable to pull the object into itself, it tears it apart. For example, a house standing in its way will most likely turn into ruins, and its fragments will scatter for tens of kilometers.

What is a tornado?

from English and Spanish the word "tornado" is translated as "revolve". So in the countries of North America, including the USA, they call a tornado. A spinning funnel descends from a cumulonimbus cloud and makes a sound like a waterfall or a rumbling train.

Most often, tornadoes are found in the United States, in and Texas. This is due to the fact that warm, moist air comes from it, which collides with cold masses from Canada and dry ones from the Rocky Mountains.

The following natural phenomena are formed:

• thunderstorms;
• showers;
• heavy winds;
• tornado.

What is the difference between a tornado and a tornado?

Many people think that a tornado and a tornado are different phenomena. But if you make out the difference between a tornado and a tornado, it becomes clear that nothing. In some countries, it is generally accepted that a tornado is a destructive phenomenon on land, and a tornado is considered to be on the surface of the water.

In addition to these two names, there is a third - a blood clot. It can be heard in European countries.

All three names - a tornado, a tornado, a blood clot - are considered to be synonymous.

How is a tornado different from a hurricane?

Having understood the difference between a tornado and a tornado, you can figure out what a hurricane is. Often people do not understand the features of a particular natural disaster, and everything related to the movement of air masses is called a hurricane. At the same time, a tornado and a hurricane are different concepts.

A hurricane is a tropical cyclone, which is expressed in the form of strong winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms. The confusion arises due to the fact that it can cause a subsequent tornado.

Fujita classification

There can be no answer to the question of which is stronger - a tornado or a tornado, since these are one and the same phenomenon. There are many classifications of his strength, but most often they adhere to the Fujita scale.

So, we have already figured out that talking about the difference between a tornado and a tornado is not entirely true. Similar phenomena of nature occur all over the world, bringing death and chaos. However, there are cases that can be classified as curious.

• So, in 1879, a terrible tornado passed through Irving. At this time, parishioners were praying in a wooden church. The clot lifted the church with people inside and moved it several meters. None of them were hurt, escaping with fright.
• In 1913, in Kansas, the elements walked through the garden, uprooting a large apple tree with roots. It was torn into many pieces, and a beehive with bees standing a meter from the dead tree remained unharmed.
• In 1940, in the village of Meshchery, along with a thunderstorm, rain fell, consisting, in addition to water, of old coins made of silver under Ivan the Terrible. Such a miracle can be explained by the fact that, having exhausted its energy, the tornado gives up everything that it has drawn into itself. Perhaps he retrieved a treasure that was not buried too deep, but after walking a certain distance, began to weaken and gave it to the ground with rain.
• In 1923, in Tennessee, the elements destroyed the walls, ceiling and roof of a residential building and carried them up. At the same time, the family that lived in it remained sitting at the table. They all escaped with a fright.

In most cases, natural disasters do not bring a person anything but death and destruction. You can verify this by looking at the photos of tornadoes and tornadoes presented in this material.

What to do during a tornado?

Whatever the difference between a tornado and a tornado, these phenomena are dangerous for humans. To survive, you must adhere to certain recommendations.

The first point of any emergency response manual is not to panic and to be collected. First of all, you need to find a secluded place. From a strong tornado, only a special bunker can become it.

Do not try to run away from a rapidly approaching blood clot, it will catch up anyway. It is better to orient yourself on the ground and group up so as not to fall into the funnel. It is necessary to find any even a slight depression or gap and squeeze into it as much as possible. So the funnel will not be able to drag it along. At the same time, the head must be covered with hands in order to protect it from being hit by any object that may fly nearby.

Being in an ordinary house without a basement, you should follow the instructions:

• take cover in the center of the room on the first floor;
• stay away from windows;
• close the windows from the side of the approaching elements;
• open and fix windows on the opposite side;
• turn off water and electricity;
• shut off the gas.

Manipulations with windows will allow the building not to explode from the pressure difference.

Among the processes occurring in nature are storms and hurricanes. They can bring considerable damage, both material and associated with human casualties. Consider the difference between a storm and a hurricane.

Definition

Hurricane

The discrepancy between atmospheric pressure parameters in different air zones leads to the formation of strong winds. A hurricane is a type of such wind. It is characterized by enormous power and destructive power. In different hemispheres of the Earth, its direction is different. In the South - the movement is clockwise, in the North - in reverse side. Forecasters give names to hurricanes for convenience.

Hurricane

Storm

The storm is also a type of wind. Its scale is not so grandiose, but it is also capable of causing serious damage to agricultural land, communication lines and other important objects. Most often, the element is accompanied by a rise up and the transfer of dust and sand over long distances, and in winter - snow.

Comparison

Let us pay attention to some details that make up the difference between a storm and a hurricane.

Wind speed

This is one of the main features that make it possible to separate two natural phenomena from each other. The hurricane moves more rapidly, its speed starts from 30 m/s. The speed of a storm, inferior in this respect to a hurricane, can reach 20 m/s.

wind force

To describe the power of a hurricane, the following example can be given. If a nuclear explosion were made in the sea, it could lift a mass of water equal to 10 million tons. One of the hurricanes (passed in the area of ​​the island of Puerto Rico) caused 2.5 billion tons of water to fall to the ground. The storm is a more moderate element. Wind patterns, including storms and hurricanes, are displayed on the Beaufort scale, where their strength is rated in points.

Duration

This factor also applies to how a storm differs from a hurricane. Hurricane most often rages longer. It can move around the planet for almost two weeks. The storm can subside in a few hours, but often lasts for several days. Both natural disasters often rage, accompanied by heavy rainfall.

Consequences

A hurricane moving at breakneck speed tears off the roofs of buildings, demolishes communication poles, breaks wires, devastates fields. Massive air currents, rotating, uproot trees, uproot and carry light buildings, cars, animals and people who did not have time to hide. The action of a hurricane entails the appearance of secondary destructive factors: landslides, landslides, floods.

Storm damage is generally smaller, but it can also be very significant. This phenomenon is often accompanied by drifts. Especially such consequences are typical for snow storms. As a result, traffic becomes impossible, the communication system is damaged, and the power supply fails. During a storm, as in a hurricane, people and animals can die.