Tornados outside of the US?

I might be way off on this, but I don't recall ever hearing about other countries being hit with tornados. Typhoons, hurricanes, and tropical storms yes, but not tornados.

Does this happen in other countries or just the US?

The US doesn't get hit with Typhoons, so it may not be that odd that other countries don't have tornados. It just seems that every time I watch the news anymore another tornado has hit somewhere in the midwest.

Just think it's kind of strange.

Tornados are a coomon occurrence in Central America, the Caribbean and the north of South America, not only in the U.S. my friend.

sorry double post



[edit on 3-6-2008 by Camilo1]

[edit on 3-6-2008 by Camilo1]

In recent years, I've heard of tornados in Canada and in the UK in news stories..

I believe they can happen anywhere as long as conditions are favorable. One of our weather experts could probably shed more light on the topic for you.

NOAA

The above is a site that might give you the information you desire.

about.com

and another one

[edit on 3-6-2008 by justamomma]

Back in the 80's I had a thought for an invention.

A portable tornado blaster, mounted on a truck,

that would disrupt the funnel and render it a non-threat.

Maybe I could get a government grant for the project,

they seem to throw away money on crazy stuff all the time anyways

whats a few million more?...

Originally posted by bobbyharper

The US doesn't get hit with Typhoons, so it may not be that odd that other countries don't have tornados.

Edited: I may be wrong but I think Hurricanes are the same as Typhoons, just depends on their location.

I'm guessing that their are Tornado's on other places, but probably not in populated areas, thus if nobody sees them they don't get reported and if they happen in third world countries without media we don't hear about them.

[edit on 3-6-2008 by verylowfrequency]

I always thought that tornados were called cyclones in other countries. Didnt one just hit Burma/

Originally posted by JesterMan
I always thought that tornados were called cyclones in other countries. Didnt one just hit Burma/

that it did. partial story in link:

the huffington post

The terms "hurricane" and "typhoon" are regionally specific names for a strong "tropical cyclone".

"hurricane" (the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E)
"typhoon" (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)
"severe tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)
"severe cyclonic storm" (the North Indian Ocean)
"tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Indian Ocean)

www.aoml.noaa.gov...

Are tornadoes unique to the United States?
No, tornadoes occur in many countries around the world, although three out of four twisters do touch down in the U.S. of A. They tend to occur at mid-latitudes in regions experiencing strong surface fronts and jet streams aloft. Tornadoes are rare in the tropics. Australia may be the closest to the U.S. in term of tornado potential, but the sparse population makes a climatology difficult. Other countries experiencing a significant number of twisters include New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and in the northern hemisphere, much of middle Europe from Italy north into England and Russia. Jolly olde England actually can get some jolly severe weather. While nowhere near as frequent as in the US, at least 50 tornadoes were reported in an 82 year period ending in 1949. October is the peak month for British twisters. Japan, eastern China, northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Twisters have even spun up over Bermuda and the Fiji Islands are also at risk.

sky-fire.tv...

Tornados and Hurricanes (cyclones, typhoons, tropical storms) occur all over the world providing the conditions are right. I live in a cyclone prone area in Australia and have also seen a tornado in south west Australia.

The only reason you here so much about them in the USA is because it's your country I guess and local news is more important.

Actually, I heard that the UK had more tornadoes per square mile than any other country in the world, but very few are more than an F3 on the 'Fujita scale'. Furthering a bit of research, here on wiki it say's we're second to the Netherlands:-

The United States averages about 1,200 tornadoes per year. The Netherlands has the highest average number of recorded tornadoes per area of any country (more than 20, or 0.0013 per sq mi (0.00048 per km²), annually), followed by the UK (around 33, or 0.00035 per sq mi (0.00013 per km²), per year), but most are small and cause minor damage. In absolute number of events, ignoring area, the UK experiences more tornadoes than any other European country, excluding waterspouts.[47]

There was one fairly(ish) big one in Birmingham in 2005. Luckily, I don't think that anyone was killed.

[edit on 4-6-2008 by Xeros]

reply to post by bobbyharper


It is known that the uk has more tornados then the us and other countries, but are no way powerful in comparison to the us tornados an F2 is strong for the uk,
never do they have anything like states f5's

EZ

In our last storm surge I think a few tornados were spawned in canada, I remember on the news one destroying a whole town...

One year, I think it was 2005 our city got hit with one, the whole sky turned green, then hail came, then ridiculous winds, I remember roofs were being torn off, sheds were flying down the roads, just so much damage, trees uprooted... got a free day off work tho, so it all paid off

If you build a mobile home park.....they will come!!!!!

Being from Kansas, ( I hate Dorothy) I know a bit about them. Weather phenomona are not localised. They are just renamed like has been said here.

Zindo

Less than 12 hours ago in Perth, southwestern Australian mainland tornado

We've also had a few in Tasmania, fortunately small ones but still damaging. The smaller twisters in the mainland deserts are called willy willys (aboriginal name for them). A tornado at sea is commonly called a waterspout and we get those too.

reply to post by bobbyharper

Around 11 smaller tornadoes hit my country, Hungary just in this year, while we had none in the previous years. The last one was yesterday, but we had a day, when three struck at three different places on a single day. So, yes, tornadoes hit other, previously "Tornado free" countries too.

[edit on 9-6-2008 by Dark Crystalline]

Here's a tornado that hit Perth, West Australia (my beloved home town), this morning

www.abc.net.au...

Formed off a winter squall line on the Indian Ocean, tornadoes off these are suprisingly common, but no where near the magnitude of the US tornadoes

The torn in perth was not even in my books a tornado but a rather large willy willy,dust devil whatever you want to call it.Mini tornado sure but the only place that gets huge tornados is the States and like the original author who started this thread it is rather odd why no place on earth comes close to the size and power of a usa tornado

How about 5 mile high dust devils on mars?.?.?
Kinda makes tornadoes look like child's play. Just thought I'd that.

-Dev