Because, yes, a tornado can cross a river. Or a lake. Or pretty much any obstacle you – or nature – try to set in its way. More to the point? A tornado can go wherever the heck it wants, and it does.
Tornadoes that form on land can cross bodies of water, including rivers and lakes. Tornadoes can also form on water. These tornadoes are called “waterspouts.” Never think that a body of water will protect you from a tornado. “Tornadoes never strike the same area twice.” False!
Violent tornadoes have formed over rivers and lakes – including the 1878 Wallingford tornado and the 1899 New Richmond tornado – as well as crossing over them after forming elsewhere. More than a dozen tornadoes are reported to have crossed the Mississippi River.
Then, do tornadoes hit lakes and rivers?
Some articles claimed small bodies of water such as lakes and rivers are insignificant obstacles to tornadoes. Violent tornadoes have formed over rivers and lakes – including the 1878 Wallingford tornado and the 1899 New Richmond tornado – as well as crossing over them after forming elsewhere.
It’s not true. Cooler air near bodies of water can disrupt thunderstorms, which could in turn disrupt tornadoes, but the water itself has no deterring effect on a tornado. Tornadoes easily cross rivers and lakes just as they would over land.
Can tornadoes travel up and down hillsides?
Several large cities have been hit by tornadoes throughout history, including Dallas, Miami, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Wichita Falls, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. “A tornado cannot travel up and down hillsides.” False! Tornadoes can travel up and down hillsides, and are just as violent and dangerous.
Why do most tornadoes move northeast?
While it’s true that most tornados will move northeast, this is most due to the direction the storm is traveling. Tornadoes are erratic, unpredictable, and can come from any direction. A prime example is the 1997 F5 tornados that struck Jarrell, TX which traveled southwest.