Interactive Graphic
Why so many tornadoes near Oklahoma City?
Severe weather is common in the Plains in late spring along the so-called dry line, where cool, dry air from the Rockies meets warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.
Destructive vortex
Destructive vortex
Rotating winds inside a super cell may spawn tornadoes. The tornado that hit Moore, Okla., on Monday was particularly large and powerful.
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Unstable conditions produce an updraft of warm, moist air. |
As the storm forms, cooler air wrapping in from behind causes the rising air to spin. This is called a mesocyclone. |
As the mesocyclone intensifies, it may produce violent rotating winds at the surface — a tornado. |
