After watching some tornado vids on You Tube I started wondering about this. How many pounds of dirt/debris does the average tornado suspend at its peak? Jeffro
I don’t think there’s an “average” tornado.
I grew up in Michigan, where the tornadoes tend to be relatively smaller, compared to what they get on the Great Plains, or down here on the Gulf.
I’m pretty sure the answer has several variables involved. Two that are important would be diameter of the cyclone and speed of rotation. I suspect that mass of individual objects may also be a factor. I have heard of tornadoes that picked up people, cows, even cars and roofs.
You do realize, don’t you, that a tornado is basically a miniature hurricane, minus water (the heat engine that powers them)? So much for the handwaving. I’m not sure if we have a meteorologist on the board, or not. If we do have somebody that can answer the question, I’ll be fascinated to hear the answer.