Why do some tornadoes form a straight funnel between the earth and the base of the cloud and some a more curvy S-shaped funnel?
Every tornado forms from a severe thunderstorm, and even though scientists do not have a complete understanding of how they form, videos and camera shots show us that most tornadoes have a similar lifecycle. A tornado starts as a small wedge-shaped funnel from the base of a severe thunderstorm and works its way down to the ground. Once it touches the ground and starts to draw in all kind of debris, the funnel becomes more visible, widens and looks like a straight vertical funnel. As it proceeds further into the life cycle, it begins to change its shape and slithers until it dissipates.
