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Tornado vs. twister: what’s the difference?

The short answer

Tornado is the formal meteorological term, while twister is a colloquial term often used informally.

What they have in common

Both refer to a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground.

Examples

tornado

  • The tornado caused significant damage to the town.
  • We took shelter in the basement when we heard a tornado was approaching.

twister

  • The movie ‘Twister’ depicts storm chasers tracking a series of twisters in Oklahoma.
  • A twister touched down in the rural farmland, causing minimal damage.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for “tornado” and “twister”

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