NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection

Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas

The scene might have been considered serene if it weren't for the tornado [ http://www.tornadop…]. Last June in Kansas [ http://en.wikipedia…], storm chaser Eric Nguyen [ http://www.mesoscal…] photographed this budding twister in a different light -- the light of a rainbow [ http://eo.ucar.edu/…]. Pictured above [ http://www.mesoscal…], a white tornado cloud descends from a dark storm cloud. The Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], peeking through a clear patch of sky to the left, illuminates some buildings in the foreground. Sunlight reflects off raindrops to form a rainbow [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. By coincidence, the tornado [ http://www.tornadop…] appears to end right over the rainbow [ http://www.reelclas…]. Streaks in the image are hail being swept about by the high swirling winds. Over 1,000 tornadoes, the most violent type of storm [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] known, occur on Earth [ http://www.tornadop…] every year, many in tornado alley. If you see a tornado [ http://www.tornadop…] while driving, do not try to outrun it -- park your car safely, go to [ http://www.spc.noaa…] a storm cellar, or crouch under steps in a basement.

Eric Nguyen [ mailto: Nguyen at mesoscale dot ws ] (Oklahoma U. [ http://weather.ou.e…]), www.mesoscale.ws

Oklahoma

Kansas

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Earth

Sun

http://antwrp.gsfc.…

SPD-APOD-ap050613