Re: Why do some tornados not touch the ground and Why do some Jump?

Heather,

A very good question! Tornadoes that don't touch the ground and therefore don't cause any damage are referred to as funnel clouds. Some tornadoes appear to "skip" or "jump" because they are moving across hilly terrain, while some tornadoes actually lift off the ground, then come back down even though the terrain is flat. I'm not sure that anyone really knows why this happens. We do know that certain atmospheric conditions are more favorable for tornadoes than others, but questions such as why some funnels reach the ground and some don't remain a mystery. Some very strong thunderstorms produce funnel clouds, while some very weak thunderstorms produce actual tornadoes.

Meteorologists, especially those who research severe thunderstorms and tornadoes at the National Severe Storms Lab in Norman, Oklahoma, are continually learning more, but many questions such as yours remain unanswered.

Tornadoes and the storms that produce them can be influenced by phenomena too small for meteorologists to detect with standard weather observing equipment. One reason for this? Observation stations are too far apart. You may ask why we don't put more observation stations out there. This would be wonderful for meteorologists, but it would cost way too much money to buy and maintain the equipment.

The Severe Storms Lab came up with a helpful solution. In 1994 and 1995, they formed a storm chase team with portable equipment, called VORTEX. They drove around tornado alley during the spring to intercept tornadoes. By doing this, they gathered important information to help us learn more. I believe the VORTEX project ended in 1995, but perhaps soon they can get back out there to gather more data. Then maybe one day we'll have more answers.