variants
or tornados
as in hurricanes
a violent and destructive storm in which powerful winds move around a central point
A siren alerted the town that they were in the path of a tornado. a tornado warning
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Recent Examples of tornadoes
Severe thunderstorms with a risk of tornadoes were possible across the Southeast on Wednesday.
—
ABC News, 6 May 2026
This is also the timeframe that strong damaging winds as well as tornadoes and lightning, are possible.
—Troy Bridges, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Strong to severe thunderstorms that could produce large hail, strong winds and tornadoes will hit the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley on May 5.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Dug has also worked full-time in Arkansas, Kentucky and Indiana and freelanced in various other places in more than 25 years of reporting or editing on everything from death penalty policy, mass shootings, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires, to mundane city council hearings.
—Dug Begley, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026
So far this year, 16 confirmed tornadoes have touched down in the National Weather Service’s Kansas City/Pleasant Hill forecast area, with the busiest months of the season typically still ahead in May and June.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Deadly tornadoes struck North Texas Saturday, including an EF2 tornado near Runaway Bay, about 80 miles northwest of Dallas.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The storms could to persist in the region through the weekend, threatening additional rainfall, hail and possible tornadoes across Louisiana and Alabama.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Heavy damage from natural phenomena — tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires — has been on the rise for decades.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
ABC News, 6 May 2026
This is also the timeframe that strong damaging winds as well as tornadoes and lightning, are possible.
—Troy Bridges, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Strong to severe thunderstorms that could produce large hail, strong winds and tornadoes will hit the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley on May 5.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Dug has also worked full-time in Arkansas, Kentucky and Indiana and freelanced in various other places in more than 25 years of reporting or editing on everything from death penalty policy, mass shootings, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires, to mundane city council hearings.
—Dug Begley, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026
So far this year, 16 confirmed tornadoes have touched down in the National Weather Service’s Kansas City/Pleasant Hill forecast area, with the busiest months of the season typically still ahead in May and June.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
Deadly tornadoes struck North Texas Saturday, including an EF2 tornado near Runaway Bay, about 80 miles northwest of Dallas.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
The storms could to persist in the region through the weekend, threatening additional rainfall, hail and possible tornadoes across Louisiana and Alabama.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Heavy damage from natural phenomena — tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires — has been on the rise for decades.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tornadoes
hurricanes
Noun
-
While relocating to Florida has its benefits—great weather, a large retirement community, and tax benefits—Investopedia notes that the state experiences hurricanes, and real estate insurance and air conditioning costs tend to be higher.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
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The more frequent the return period (red on the map), the more often hurricanes historically hit that area.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tornadoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tornadoes. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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