Tornadoes are one of the most fascinating and fearsome storm phenomena on Earth. Tornadoes capture our curiosity and imaginations and threaten our communities and lives. Scientists are learning more about conditions that lead to tornado formation, but there are still many questions to be answered. For example, researchers using NASA data are investigating if smoke and other factors from wildfires trigger twisters or if dry weather in the fall leads to fewer tornadoes in the spring.

NASA’s wide array of atmospheric, climactic, and meteorological data from many various platforms are a vast resource for unfurling answers to the questions about tornadoes.