Tornado Quiz
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95 free Tornado trivia questions with answers — nature quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
63 free tornado trivia questions with answers. Think you know tornadoes? Our tornado quiz puts your storm knowledge to the test with 95 questions about nature's most violent phenomena, from the Enhanced Fujita Scale to record-breaking twisters.
30 of 95 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01Which scale has the United States used since 2007 to rate tornado intensity by damage?
Enhanced Fujita
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale has rated U.S. tornadoes since February 1, 2007, using damage indicators to estimate wind speeds; it replaced the original 1971 scale.
Q 02US tornado damage ratings start at 0 and top out at what number?
5
The Enhanced Fujita scale runs from EF0 to EF5, six categories in all; ratings are assigned from damage indicators rather than from direct wind measurement.
Q 03Which U.S. state experiences the highest average number of tornadoes per year?
Texas
Texas averages about 155 tornadoes per year, more than any other U.S. state, largely due to its enormous size and geography.
Q 04What is the rotating column of air within a supercell thunderstorm called?
Mesocyclone
A mesocyclone is a storm-scale region of rotation, typically 2 to 6 miles in diameter, found within supercell thunderstorms. It is a key precursor to tornado formation.
Q 05Which 1925 tornado holds the record for the longest continuous path at 219 miles?
Tri-State Tornado
The Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, traveled 219 miles across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana over about 3.5 hours, making it the longest-tracked tornado in recorded history.
Q 06Which National Weather Service alert means a tornado has been sighted or detected and people should take cover?
Warning
A watch only means conditions are favourable and can span several states; warnings come from local forecast offices and cover an area about the size of a city or small county.
Q 07What is the safest place to shelter during a tornado in a house without a basement?
A small interior room on the lowest floor
A small interior room on the lowest floor, such as a bathroom or closet, puts the most walls between you and debris; windows, upper floors and garages are the most dangerous spots.
Q 08Which country experiences more tornadoes per year than any other?
United States
Canada is a distant second, and Bangladesh suffers the most tornado deaths of any country, around 179 a year.
Q 09What type of cloud typically produces tornadoes?
Cumulonimbus
Tornadoes form from cumulonimbus clouds, which are tall, dense thunderstorm clouds that can extend from near the surface to over 40,000 feet. Supercell cumulonimbus clouds are the most prolific tornado producers.
Q 10What is a tornado that forms over water called?
Waterspout
A waterspout is a tornado that forms over water or moves from land to water. Fair-weather waterspouts are generally weak, while tornadic waterspouts associated with severe thunderstorms can be much more powerful.
Q 11What informal name is given to the corridor of the central United States most prone to tornadoes?
Tornado Alley
Tornado Alley is the informal name for the area of the central U.S. stretching from Texas northward through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas, where tornadoes are most frequent.
Q 12What atmospheric condition is most critical for tornado formation?
Wind shear
Wind shear, changes in wind speed and direction with altitude, is essential for tornado formation. It creates the horizontal rotation that can be tilted into a vertical axis by a thunderstorm updraft.
Q 13What part of a supercell thunderstorm is a tornado most likely to descend from?
Wall cloud
Q 21In what direction do most tornadoes in the Northern Hemisphere rotate?
Counterclockwise
Most Northern Hemisphere tornadoes rotate counterclockwise, inheriting the cyclonic spin of the parent supercell's mesocyclone; clockwise (anticyclonic) tornadoes are rare exceptions, often spawned by left-moving storms.
Q 22What month typically sees the most tornadoes in the United States?
May
May historically has the highest average number of tornadoes in the United States, as warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico clashes most dramatically with cooler air masses from Canada during this month.
Q 23What percentage of all tornadoes are classified as violent (EF4 or EF5)?
About 1%
The wall cloud is a localized, persistent lowering of the cloud base that forms beneath the mesocyclone. When rotation tightens sufficiently, a funnel cloud may descend from the wall cloud and become a tornado.
Q 14Which 1989 tornado in Bangladesh holds the record as the deadliest single tornado in world history?
Daulatpur-Saturia Tornado
The Daulatpur-Saturia tornado struck on April 26, 1989, killing approximately 1,300 people and leaving 80,000 homeless, making it the deadliest single tornado in recorded history.
Q 15Approximately how many tornadoes occur in the United States in an average year?
About 1,200
The United States averages approximately 1,200 tornadoes per year, though this number can vary significantly from year to year.
Q 16What do storm chasers call the rain-wrapped area of a supercell where a hidden tornado may lurk?
The bear's cage
The 'bear' is the tornado under the rotating wall cloud and the 'cage' is the blinding precipitation, sometimes with huge hail, surrounding it.
Q 17What colour do tornadoes often turn after crossing Oklahoma's clay-rich soil?
Reddish-brown
Tornadoes take on the color of the debris and soil they pick up. In areas with red clay soil, such as parts of Oklahoma, tornadoes can appear reddish-brown or rust-colored.
Q 18What is the term for a weak, short-lived whirlwind that forms along a thunderstorm gust front?
Gustnado
A gustnado is a small, transient whirlwind that forms along a thunderstorm gust front. Unlike true tornadoes, gustnadoes do not connect to the cloud base and are typically very short-lived.
Q 19What is the minimum estimated wind speed for a tornado to receive an EF5 rating?
Over 200 mph
An EF5 tornado has estimated wind speeds exceeding 200 mph (322 km/h), capable of causing total destruction of well-built structures, sweeping away foundations, and debarking trees.
Q 20Which U.S. government agency is responsible for issuing tornado watches?
Storm Prediction Center
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a division of NOAA's National Weather Service based in Norman, Oklahoma, is responsible for issuing tornado and severe thunderstorm watches across the United States.
Only about 1% of all tornadoes reach violent intensity (EF4 or EF5). However, these rare tornadoes account for a disproportionate share of tornado fatalities and catastrophic damage.
Q 24What is a landspout?
One that forms without a mesocyclone
Landspouts are usually weaker than supercell tornadoes and get their name from looking like a Florida Keys waterspout over land.
Q 25Most tornadoes are on the ground for roughly how long?
10 minutes
Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes, with the average closer to a few minutes; only rare long-track tornadoes stay on the ground for an hour or more.
Q 26What Japanese-American meteorologist developed the original tornado intensity scale in 1971?
Tetsuya Theodore Fujita
Dr. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita, often called 'Mr. Tornado,' developed the Fujita Scale in 1971 while working at the University of Chicago. His pioneering work in analyzing tornado damage patterns revolutionized tornado science.
Q 27What is a rotating cone-shaped cloud from a thunderstorm's base that has NOT reached the ground called?
Funnel cloud
A funnel cloud is a rotating, cone-shaped column of air extending from the base of a cloud. It only becomes classified as a tornado once it makes contact with the ground surface.
Q 28Which supercell feature wraps around the mesocyclone and helps tighten low-level rotation into a tornado?
Rear flank downdraft
The rear flank downdraft (RFD) descends at the back of a supercell and wraps around the mesocyclone. It is believed to play a critical role in tornado formation by tightening existing rotation near the surface.
Q 29Which US city was struck by devastating tornadoes in 1999, 2003 and 2013?
Moore, Oklahoma
Moore, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City, has been struck by multiple significant tornadoes, including an F5 in 1999, an F4 in 2003, and an EF5 in 2013, making it one of the most tornado-impacted cities in the U.S.
Q 30Which technology lets forecasters spot rotation inside a thunderstorm before a funnel appears?
Doppler radar
Doppler radar can detect rotation within thunderstorms by measuring the velocity of precipitation particles moving toward and away from the radar. This allows meteorologists to identify mesocyclones and issue tornado warnings before a tornado is visually confirmed.