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Twisters in the Great Plains

In Twisters in the Great Plains, learn how when warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold air from the Arctic, it results in tornadoes that spin at speeds of over 300 miles an hour. Over a thousand tornadoes touch down in the Great Plains each year. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.

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Location:
North America
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Program:
Seven Worlds, One Planet
Time:
2:10
Subject:

Lesson Express

Q: What allows the warm air from the Gulf to collide with the cold air from the Arctic in the Great Plains?
A: There aren’t any mountains to block them from each other.

Q: What makes a tornado so powerful?
A: Tornadoes spin at speeds close to 300 mph.

Q: What prevents the tornadoes from spreading to the west?
A: The Rocky Mountains stand in the way of the storms.

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