Estimated Time: 5 minutes

When Dorothy was swept away from Kansas, it wasn’t by magic—at least not at first. It was by a cyclone, which is another word for a very strong, spinning windstorm. In the story, the cyclone picks up her entire house and carries it all the way to the Land of Oz. Sounds unbelievable, right? But tornadoes (a type of cyclone) really do happen—and they’re powerful enough to move cars, trees, and yes, sometimes even houses!

In Kansas, where Dorothy lived, tornadoes are actually pretty common. This part of the United States is known as “Tornado Alley” because the land and weather there make it easy for storms to form.

Let’s take a little break from the story to explore the science behind these powerful winds. Watch this video to learn how tornadoes form and what makes them so dangerous.

Have you ever seen a tornado?