Weather Detective

How do tornadoes form? 🌪️

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A tornado is a fast-spinning tube of air that reaches from a storm cloud all the way down to the ground.

Singapore almost never gets tornadoes — but they happen in places like the United States. Today you'll be a weather detective and discover the secret recipe that makes one spin to life!

Tap Next when you're ready to mix the storm ingredients.

Every tornado needs a recipe 🍳

Just like a cake needs eggs and flour, a tornado needs special "ingredients" in the sky. Tap each card to discover one!

Reveal all 4 ingredients to fill the recipe bowl.

Step 1: Warm air shoots up ⬆️

The sun heats the ground. The ground heats the air. Warm air is lighter than cool air, so it floats upward — fast!

warm ground

Press the button to watch the warm air climb.

Step 2: Build the storm in order 🧱

Tornadoes form in stages. Tap the stages in the right order, from first to last.

1
2
3
4

Which one happens first?

Step 3: The air rolls and spins 🔄

High up, the wind blows fast in one direction. Lower down, it blows slower. This difference makes a tube of air roll over — like a rolling pin!

fast wind → ← slow wind

Drag the slider to set how different the two winds are.

Slide it up high to get the air spinning fast!

Step 4: The funnel reaches the ground ⬇️

The spinning tube tilts upright inside the storm. It stretches downward, getting thinner and faster — until it touches the ground. Now it's a real tornado!

Tap to make the funnel grow down, one step at a time.

You're the forecaster! 🔮

A weather report says: warm wet air, a tall thunderstorm, and winds blowing at very different speeds. Is a tornado likely?

Think about the ingredients you collected.

🛟 Safety note: If a real tornado warning is ever given, people go to a strong inside room or basement, away from windows. Tornadoes are amazing to learn about — but never something to chase!

You cracked the tornado code! 🎉

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Here's the whole recipe you discovered:

You learned how warm air, big storms, and twisty winds work together. Brilliant detective work, weather scientist! 🌟