Tornadoes: The Science Behind Terrible Twisters

The Science Behind Natural Disasters

by Alvin Silverstein, Virginia B. Silverstein, Laura Silverstein Nunn

About 1,000 tornadoes touch down in the United States every year. One of the most powerful of these struck Greensburg, Kansas, in May 2007. With wind speeds of up to 205 miles per hour, the tornado destroyed 95 percent of the town in twenty minutes. Ten people were killed. Severe weather scientists study these types of deadly storms to discover how more lives can be saved. Tornadoes: The Science Behind Terrible Twisters explains how tornadoes develop, describes the technology and storm chasers that help predict and track the storms, and provides safety tips for surviving a terrible twister.

48 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Alvin Silverstein grew up in Brooklyn, the youngest son of an immigrant family who emphasized hard work and education. After graduating from Brooklyn College, he went to graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he got a Master's degree in chemistry and met his wife, author Virginia B. Silverstein. He got his Ph.D. at NYU while teaching at the College of Staten Island. He ultimately became a Professor of Biology there and also Director of the Physician Assistant program, while coauthoring books with his wife and, later, two of their children as well.

Reviews

[Eagle Watcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book "Tornadoes" was a good book. It had some good information, and I learned about a tornado that hit Greensburg Kansas. I got to read the story and experience the story. Also I learned a lot of good vocab words, like water vapor, and hailstones. I probably wouldn't recommend it to someone who was looking for tons of information. It was more of a story with little punches of facts. That's the reason I gave it four stars.

[Boopies Fire · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and if you have never gone through a tornado unlike methane you feel like you have