Why do some tornadoes look like the Wizard of Oz tornado and some like big dust clouds?
Well, the Wizard of Oz tornado—which for my money was much more realistic-looking than more recent computer-generated ones—was actually a big muslin sock. But yes, tornadoes do come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, depending on what debris they’re picking up, the structure of their funnel, and what direction you’re seeing them from (if you’re looking west at a tornado against the sunset, it’s going to be silhouetted and dark; if you’re viewing it from the east, it’ll catch the sun and look white). There are cone tornadoes, “tusk” tornadoes, “elephant trunk” tornadoes that stretch and curl, wedge tornadoes, stovepipe tornadoes, giant tornadoes that look like black clouds rolling along the ground… and “rope” tornadoes like the famous Wizard Of Oz twister. Usually, a rope tornado is nearing the end of its life cycle. But don’t be fooled. A tornado’s strength does not depend on the shape or size of its funnel. A sinuous twister can still relocate your house fairly efficiently.
