Factfile Tornado terrors

THE raging unpredictability of tornadoes means there is little anybody can do to avoid them.

Thought to be up to two miles wide and the second strongest on the scale, the Oklahoma tornado destroyed scores of homes and a primary school.

Experts say those in a tornado’s path often have little time to flee to safety when the clashing bands of superenergetic air trigger a tornado.

UK Weather forecaster Stephen Davenport said: “Tornadoes can occur anywhere. It’s when they hit populated areas that we see these terrible death tolls.”

Predicting tornadoes is fraught with difficulties, owing largely to how quickly they can be created.

Mr Davenport said: “Meteorologists are able to point out which areas are likely to be hit by strong storms and tornadoes. The difficult part is pinpointing exactly where they are going to be. There are spotters on the ground and radar is getting more sophisticated, but even so it may only be 15 to 30 minutes warning of a tornado that may come through your area.”

Dr Andrew Barrett, an expert at the University of Reading, said parts of America can average up to four tornadoes a day, although few reach the scale of Oklahoma.

Dr Andrew Russell, lecturer in Climate Change at Brunel University, said there was “good evidence” of how a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would reduce the risk of severe storms and tornadoes in the future.