Informative Speech

Tornadoes

Purpose: To inform the audience about tornadoes

Thesis: Today I will discuss some fascinating facts about tornadoes. Specifically, I will discuss the causes, occurrences, myths,and oddities associated with tornadoes.

Organizational Pattern: Topical

I. Introduction

A. Attention Getter Have you ever seen a tornado or known someone who has?
B. Relevance Tornadoes canbe devastating and can occur anywhere at anytime so you may be affected by one or know someone who will.
C. Credibility I am fascinated by tornadoes and have done research in the last couple weekspreparing for this speech.
D. Thesis Today I will discuss some fascinating facts about tornadoes.
E. Preview Specifically, I will discuss the causes, occurrences, myths, and oddities associatedwith tornadoes.

Transition First, I will discuss the causes.

II. Body

A. What causes a tornado?
1. According to an American Red Cross brochure, tornadoes occur when thunderstorms develop inwarm, moist air in advance of eastward-moving cold fronts. These thunderstorms often produce large hail, strong winds, and tornadoes.
2. Also, according to the Red Cross, tornadoes form during thesping in the Central Plains along a “dryline” which separates very warm, moist aire to the east from hot, dry air to the west. Tornado-producing thunderstorms may form as the dryline moves east duringthe afternoon hours.

Transition Next, I will discuss occurrences.

B. Tornadoes can occur at anyplace or anytime.
1. According to the 1999 Weather Guide Calendar, “tornadoes have been reportedin every month of the year somewhere in the U. S. On average, there are about 800 tornadoes a year in the U. S., causing about 80 deaths.
2. In fact, Infoplease.com reports that among the 25deadliest tornadoes, the top ranked occurred in the tri-state area of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana in 1925. 689 people were killed. Other top-ranked deadly tornadoes occurred in Mississippi, Georgia,...