World of Twisters: Tornado myths answered

Tornadoes are one of the most powerful forces in nature, and there are many myths and questions around them. We're here to answer a few!

Can twin tornadoes form?

One intense scene in the new film Twisters centers on twin tornadoes. These can happen occasionally. A famous example includes two tornadoes forming close together in Pilger, Nebraska, in 2014.

Are sharknadoes possible?

Thankfully no. However, there have been reports of tornadoes and waterspouts sucking water from ponds and lakes, taking fish and other wildlife along for the ride.

Are firenadoes real?

In the new film Twisters, one scene presents a “firenado.” These exist. In and around wildfires, when winds and the extreme heat creates turbulence, intense swirls of rapidly rising air turn that wildfire into a fiery vortex.

When was the earliest known tornado in the United States?

While tornadoes have occurred long before written history, the earliest known example was recorded in Cambridge, Mass., on July 8, 1680.

However, the "official" tornado record in the United States did not begin until 1950, when information was collected and tabulated at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1953, the Weather Bureau (later renamed National Weather Service in 1970) began issuing tornado watches.

How strong are tornadoes?

Strong tornadoes can lift cars, buses, and even HGVs, throwing them up to 300 feet away. While smaller objects, like tree branches, become high-speed projectiles capable of smashing windows and penetrating concrete walls.