World of Twisters: Tornado myths answered

Tornadoes are one of the most powerful forces in nature, with many myths and questions around them, we're here to answer a few!

Can twin tornadoes form?

One intense scene in the new film, Twisters, centres on twin tornadoes, these can happen occasionally. A famous example includes two tornadoes forming close together in Pilger, Nebraska in 2014.

Are sharknadoes possible?

Thankfully no, however, there have been reports of tornadoes and waterspouts sucking water from ponds and lakes, taking fish and other wildlife along for the ride.

Are firenadoes real?

In the new film Twisters, one scene presents a “firenado”. These exist. In and around wildfires, when turbulence is created by winds and the extreme heat, intense swirls of rapidly rising air turn that wildfire into a fiery vortex.

When was the earliest known tornado in Europe?

While tornadoes have occurred long before written history, the earliest known example was recorded in the Bavarian town of Freising in 788.

In the UK, a devastating tornado hit central London on October 23, 1091. Destroying hundreds of homes and damaging the St Mary-le-Bow church.

How strong are tornadoes?

Strong tornadoes can lift cars, buses, and even HGVs, throwing them up to 100 metres away. While smaller objects, like tree branches, become high-speed projectiles capable of smashing windows and penetrating concrete walls.