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🌪️ Extreme Weather

Meet the wildest weather on Earth and the science that whips it up!

lessons

~15 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Ages 6–12

level

Start the course →

What you’ll learn

Explain how tornadoes form and how their strength is measured.Tornadoes are spinning columns of air that drop from supercell thunderstorms. Scientists rate them EF0 to EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale by studying damage. The U.S. leads the world in tornadoes, and warnings help people shelter safely.
Compare different kinds of extreme weather and how meteorologists track them.Hurricanes, thunderstorms, and blizzards are all powerful weather events driven by moving air and moisture. Lightning makes thunder, and blizzards combine snow with fierce wind. Meteorologists use satellites, radar, and balloons to forecast storms and keep people safe.

Questions this course answers

Where do most tornadoes form?

Most tornadoes are born inside strong rotating thunderstorms known as supercells.

What scale is used to rate tornadoes?

The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5 based on the damage they cause.

Roughly how fast are the winds in the strongest EF5 tornado?

An EF5 tornado has winds stronger than 200 miles per hour, powerful enough to destroy sturdy buildings.

What is the calm center of a hurricane called?

The calm, clear center of a hurricane is called the eye.

Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?

Light travels much faster than sound, so we see the flash before hearing the boom.

What do we call scientists who study and forecast weather?

Meteorologists study the atmosphere and forecast the weather using tools like radar and satellites.

Grounded in trusted sources

National Geographic Education, 'Tornadoes and the Enhanced Fujita Scale' (education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/tornadoes-and-enhanced-fujita-scale/)
National Weather Service, 'The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale)' (weather.gov/oun/efscale)
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Enhanced Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity' (britannica.com)
University of Chicago News, 'What is the Fujita Scale for tornadoes?' (news.uchicago.edu/explainer/fujita-scale-explained)

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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