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To: crusty old prospector

Not quite. Straight line only hits from one direction. Well, d’uh. Twisters hit from all directions simultaneously and “twist”. That ruins most supports.
Plus, 70mph? That is no midwest tornado. I lived in all those areas up to my twenties. Twisters in that area start at 120 and go up.


10 posted on 03/15/2025 9:03:56 AM PDT by bobbo666
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To: bobbo666

The one thing about straight line winds is that they can cover a larger area, and last longer. The 2009 “Super Derecho” that went through Kansas, Missouri, then through Southern IL, and then into Kentucky and Southern Indiana and beyond, laid down a huge swath of damage at up to 106 mph winds. It also featured a “bookend vortex” up to 40 miles diameter on its north end (where the 106 mph reading was taken). That functioned almost like a mini-hurricane: Those hit squarely got pounded by powerful winds from the south for several minutes, then from the north for several minutes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Super_Derecho#cite_note-lsxsummary-2

https://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/casepages/may82009page.htm#memphis

Tornadoes, of course, often have sub-vortices within the main funnel, so, that’s some real “fun”. Lift, too: The cross-section of one of the storms last night showed debris at 15,000 ft., and SFAIK it was not over a strong F3.


20 posted on 03/15/2025 2:03:27 PM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
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To: bobbo666

I am not doubting that tornadoes have higher winds. No d’uh. They are maybe a couple hundred yards wide and go for several miles. Straight-lines can affect an area over several hundred miles long. We had about ten people killed around here last week from trees falling on their houses/ RV’s or hitting one in a car on a dark road.


22 posted on 03/15/2025 5:32:30 PM PDT by crusty old prospector
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