Not in Kansas Anymore

Spring is in the air. The return of warmer weather also brings thunderstorms and the start of tornado season, so there's a lot more in the air than just spring. You might associate tornadoes with places like Kansas or Oklahoma, but tornadic activity usually starts in the South in early spring. By May or June, the center of activity moves west to the Lower Midwest, then shifts to the Upper Midwest for June and July. However, tornadoes can strike anywhere at any time. The previously mentioned periods are just the most likely times and locations. Here’s some information about this swirling vortex of death.

Swirling vortex of death (National Weather Service)

The current theory on how a tornado forms is that differing wind speeds during a thunderstorm cause horizontal rotating air columns. If the air column gets caught in an updraft it changes orientation and becomes a vertical column. If the column touches the ground it’s a tornado; otherwise it’s just a funnel cloud.

Tornadoes primarily form in supercell thunderstorms, which are large rotating thunderstorms. Tornadoes will likely drop from a feature of the storm called a wall cloud, which is large low-hanging cloud to the rear of the area of precipitation. It’s far easier for ground spotters to in the Midwest to see wall clouds and storm rotation from a distance than it is for those in other areas.

Wall cloud (National Severe Storms Laboratory)

Having lived in Pennsylvania and Washington all my life, there is no clear horizon in my areas. There are trees, mountains, and buildings in the way. I could tell if a storm was coming based on the clouds in my immediate area. Driving across northern Wyoming, I could see a pair of thunderstorms miles away and the precipitation was visible long before I caught up to it. I didn’t see any rotation or wall clouds, but I was also focused on the road.

Signs to look for during a potentially tornadic thunderstorm are hailstones, green clouds, rotating and/or low hanging clouds, and the loud roar of a freight train. If you observe any or all of these signs, seek shelter immediately.

Another twister (National Severe Storms Laboratory)

Tornado safety

When a tornado watch is issued, it means conditions are favorable for tornado formation. A tornado warning is issued when radar indicates rotation in a storm or a tornado has been seen by a spotter in the field. If a tornado warning is issued, seek immediate shelter. The best place to be is in a basement, but absent that use the downstairs area of a building. A windowless room is best. If there is no windowless room, stay as far from windows as possible. If you can, get under a sturdy table or cover yourself with heavy blankets. If you’re in a high rise, seek shelter in an interior hallway on the lowest floor possible. If outdoors, try to get inside. If you can’t try a vehicle. Buckle up and cover up. Lying in a ditch or depression is also a viable option. If driving, don’t try to outrun a tornado.

This week’s tornado information comes from the National Severe Storms Laboratory and University Corporation for AtmosphericResearch. Safety tips come from Ready.gov.

Mr. Frog and Mr. Toad

Part 4 of a continuing series on differences in similar critters brings us the frog and the toad. If you’re new to the show, or have a bad memory, you’ll recall that last year (and the previous two seasons) I was slogging through a pond looking for eggs belonging to frogs and toads (as well as newts and salamanders). They are out laying their eggs as we speak, so this week’s is a timely topic even if it has nothing to do with egg laying.

Frogs and toads are both amphibians, meaning they can breathe on land or in the water, and have similar body shapes. So how can you be sure which critter you’re looking at? Here are a few differences to help you figure it out.

Frogs are generally more aquatic than toads, although there is variation of aquaticness among both frogs and toads. Frogs have smoother skin, a taller and narrower body, and buggier eyes. When moving on land, frogs are magnificent jumpers. The hind legs are long and powerful.

Bullfrog with smooth skin and bugeyes

Cascades frog- note the long legs

Toads are famous for their warty skin, which will not give you warts. The body is wider and flatter than a frog’s. Toads don’t jump much; rather they walk or take small hops. The hind legs are shorter than a frog’s. Their eyes aren’t nearly as bulging as a frog’s. A frog is more likely to be near water, while a frog feels more comfortable straying from the water.

Western toad with bumpy skin and squat little body

Wyoming toad- note the shorter legs and less bulgy eyes
(USFWS)

If you ever encounter one of these critters in the wild, or even just your back yard, hopefully this helps identify what you’re looking at. Info this week comes from Kidzone. Next week we take a break from comparing similar species but the series will resume in April.

Species of the Month

It’s time once again for the wearin’ o’ the green. To celebrate, our species of the month is white clover. This three-leafed plant is also known as the shamrock, a traditional symbol of Ireland and Saint Patrick’s Day.

White clover leaf (Michigan State University)

Scientific name: Trifolium repens

Kingdom: Plantae (plants)

Class:   Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons)

Order: Fabales (dicot flowering plants)

Range: native to Europe, now globally distributed

Habitat: pastures, yards

Lifespan: perennial plant, at least two years

Diet: sunlight and water

Predators: small mammals such as groundhogs and rabbits, deer, livestock

White clover flower (USDA PLANTS)

Closeup of the flower (USDA PLANTS)

Conservation Status: no special protection, may be considered noxious in some areas

Other Information: Believe it or not, clover is in the legume family with peas and beans. These plants form a symbiotic relationship with fungi that live in nodules on their roots and can absorb nitrogen from the air and fix it to the soil, benefitting other plants. Most white clover plants have three leaves, but the ones with four leaves are considered good luck. The four leaf clover is actually a genetic mutation. There are also clovers with five, six, or more leaves but whether or not they are lucky is undetermined. White clover is commonly planted with pasture grasses for grazing. The Ladino variety is tall enough to be cut as hay. It is an important flower for honeybees. It spreads quickly and is sometimes used for erosion control as a ground cover. Native to Europe, it is an invasive species in the US.

This week's information comes from USDA's PLANTS database.

The elusive four leaf clover (Wikipedia)

Splitting Hares

Continuing last week’s theme of animal comparisons, we will examine the tortoise’s fabled racing opponent, the hare and try to figure out how it’s different from a standard rabbit. Both are members of the mammalian order of lagomorphs, along with a cute little critter called the pika (which we won’t discuss today).

Desert cottontail, a rabbit species (NSP)

Jackrabbit, a hare species in spite of its name
(NPS)

Unlike the functional differences between turtles and tortoises, the differences between rabbits and hares are mainly cosmetic. In general, hares are larger and have longer ears. But there are more differences, being on Day One (before, actually).

Hares have a longer gestation period, by about two weeks. If rabbit and hare litters are born the same day, the hares will have fur and open eyes. They quickly become mobile. The rabbits will be hairless, blind, and cold. Unlike you, they can’t regulate their body temperatures. If you see a baby bunny just keep in mind, baby hares have hairs.

Baby hares are called leverets (USFWS)

Baby rabbits are called kits or kittens (Rabbit Smarties)

Hares live in above ground nests, while rabbits with the exception of the cottontail, are subterranean nesters. Hares are also faster and skittish, while rabbits are more relaxed and make better pets. Don’t try to catch a wild one to keep as a pet though.

So like last week, we found some similar looking critters, but there are differences. One thing these wascally wabbits have in common is that they both multiply like rabbits. Or hares.

This week’s information comes from NationalGeographic.

The Shell Game

Ever wonder what the difference is between a turtle and a tortoise? They’re both shelled reptiles so is it all just a name? Not exactly. All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises.

Desert tortoise (NPS)

A tortoise is a turtle that lives exclusively on land, while most (but not all, remember there’s always an exception) turtles spend most of their time in the water. Because of the lifestyle differences, turtles have webbed feet and tortoises don’t. And of course sea turtles, who only come on land to lay eggs, have flippers instead of legs. Tortoise shells are generally taller, while turtles have a flatter, more aquadynamic shell design.

Box turtle (NPS)

Loggerhead sea turtle (USFWS)

Now that you have that down, let’s introduce the terrapin. Terrapins are mix of the landlubbing tortoise and seafaring turtle. They spend half their time on land, half in the water. They have a more streamlined shell than a tortoise, yet it’s taller and rounder than a turtle’s. 

Diamondback terrapin (USFWS)

This week's compare and contrast is from the National Marine Life Center.