Tornado survivors and witnesses often liken the sound of a tornado to that of a freight train—that is, the noise and vibrations of its wheels against the railroad track and ground. … A tornado’s vortex is made up of air that’s rotating very rapidly.
Why does a tornado sound like a freight train?
A loud roar (similar to a freight train) This is especially useful if you don’t live near a railroad. Tornadoes give off a continuous rumble, much like that of a train. Other loud noises come from the velocity of the winds, as well as all the debris the tornado is hurling around and smashing into.
The air rushing out when there is a local low pressure system (that is a tornado) goes by, or a tornado goes over is considerable, even in the weak tornadoes. To a lot of people (inside), it sounds like “like a train” and it gets a frequency that has a rhythm.
Some experts simply don’t hear the resemblance between trains and twisters. Noted storm chaser Howard Bluestein has never heard a train-like sound in his years of tornado observation, although he once heard what he described as a “ low roar.
What is the difference between a freight train and a tornado?
So that’s another difference between the two sounds: A freight train won’t be accompanied by animal panic sounds, but a tornado will be accompanied by animal panic sounds.
What does a tornado sound like when it hits?
Along with the roar of a grizzly bear and a crack of lightning, the sound of a tornado is among the most terrifying natural sounds on Earth. Depending on the twister and where you’re standing, it can sound like a hiss, a buzz, a rumble, or even a freight train.
People mean that the sound of the tornado resembles the deep, rumbling sound a train makes on the tracks. Actual accounts from survivors vary, though, so it seems that not all tornadoes sound alike. People have likened the sound to freight trains, waterfalls, and jet engines among other things.
Having been 900 feet from a large tornado, I can tell you that the sound of an intense tornado, up close and personal, is like being in a viewing stand at an air show when several jets fly very low over the stand – at once. The roar is so loud you can’t hear the sound of your own voice.
What is the sound of an approaching freight train?
Basically, the sound of an approaching freight train is regular, predictable, and rhythmic, whereas the sound of an approaching tornado is eerily irregular, non-rhythmic, unpredictable, and chaotic.
Imagine standing next to the tracks of a freight train that is going 60 miles per hour (100 km/hour). Imagine the sound of that kind of ferocity from a few inches away—so close you could reach out and touch it. That’s what it sounded like.
How can you tell a tornado from a thunderstorm?
One way to distinguish this sound from ordinary thunderstorm sounds is to notice a loud continuous roar or rumble, that, unlike thunder, doesn’t fade in a few seconds. While the most common tornado sound is a continuous rumble or roar, a tornado can also make other sounds.