How tropical storms and hurricanes can cause tornadoes

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How tropical storms and hurricanes can cause tornadoes
Tropical storms are known for two hazards, storm surge and inland flooding, but they're capable of spawning another hazard: tornadoes.

Tropical storms are known for two hazards, storm surge and inland flooding, but they're capable of spawning another hazard: tornadoes.



In a general sense, tornadoes form under a supercell thunderstorm, according to AccuWeather. They rely on instability with warm, moist air and colder, less moist air.



A tropical storm has all the ingredients necessary to form a tornado: They have multiple supercell thunderstorms, they contain the necessary instability between warm and cold air, and they create wind shear, an abrupt change in wind speed and direction which can create swirling vortices of air.

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