A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground and is often - although not always - visible as a funnel cloud. Lightening and hail are common in thunderstorms that produce tornadoes. Tornadoes cause extensive damage to structures and disrupt transportation, power, water, gas, communications, and other services in its direct path and in neighbouring areas. Related thunderstorms can cause heavy rains, flash flooding, and hail. About 1,200 tornadoes hit the United States every year and every state is at risk. Most tornadoes in the United States occur east of the Rocky Mountains with concentrations in the central and southern plains, the Gulf Coast and Florida. Tornadoes can strike in any season, but occur most often in the spring and summer months. They can occur at all hours of the day and night, but are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. a. Answer the following questions. 1. What is a tornado? ________________________________________________________________ 2. What is common in thunderstorms that produce tornadoes? ________________________________________________________________ 3. What can related thunderstorms cause? ________________________________________________________________ 4. How many tornadoes hit the United States every year? ________________________________________________________________ 5. Which seasons can tornadoes strike? ________________________________________________________________ b. Put True (T) or False (F) at the beginning of the statements below. 6. _____________ A tornado extends from thunderstorm to the ground. 7. _____________ Tornadoes cause slight damage to structures. 8. _____________ Every state in the US is at risk of being hit by tornadoes. 9. _____________No tornadoes in the United States occur east of the Rocky Mountains, the Gulf Coast and Florida. 10. _____________ Tornadoes occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. only.