<p>It depends.</p>

<p>Take a look at <a href="https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/videogateway.cgi/id/28354?recordingid=28354" rel="nofollow">this recorded presentation</a> from the <a href="https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/webprogram/meeting.html#Sunday1" rel="nofollow">27th Conference on Severe Local Storms</a> by David C. Lewellen and the accompanying <a href="https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/webprogram/Manuscript/Paper254357/SLS14_pap_submit.pdf" rel="nofollow">pre-print</a>.  This talk focuses on the effect of buildings on tornadoes though the buildings are examined as fixed blocks they are not modified or damaged, but remain a fixed obstacle to the tornado (he toward the end does show that he models forces of the tornado on the building but does not allow that to change the building).  </p>

<p>The effect of the block depends on whether the tornado is high or low swirl, the relative position of the block to the tornado and the size of the tornado.  The block weakened some tornadoes and strengthened others.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T13:14:02.407Z
I didn't actually think something like that would exist, 'cause the idea that a building is a fixed block is, I thought, totally unrealistic...
Malady
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T13:17:14.340Z
@Malandy it is much easier to model the buildings as fixed objects to get first order effects than it is to allow then to be deformed/destroyed and add all of the debris to the model.  Using fixed buildings also allows you to see how the resulting change in dynamics modified the tornado.
casey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T13:06:58.093Z
2015-05-04T13:12:00.970Z
2015-05-04T13:12:00.970Z
casey
<p>What would happen to a tornado if a Large, Immovable, Unbreakable and Obsidian Cube was in its path?</p>

<p>The tornado is on a flat plain... but is heading towards the cube.</p>

<p>By large, I mean the length of the cube's edges is as long as half the width/height of the tornado, whichever is larger.</p>

<p>Or is this more Physics, instead, of Earth Science?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T04:48:54.500Z
You might approach an answer by asking why tornados almost always (AFAIK, anyway) form over flatlands, rather than mountains.
jamesqf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T12:52:58.677Z
@jamesqf - Why would that help?
Malady
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-04T13:08:31.743Z
@jamesqf http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/03/14/tornadoes-dont-happen-in-mountains-or-do-they-debunking-the-myth/
casey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-05T18:10:45.540Z
@Malandy: Because mountains are pretty fair approximations to large, unbreakable cubes.
jamesqf
<meteorology><tornado><dynamics>
Tornadoes meeting with an Immovable, Unbreakable, Large Cube
Malady
# Tornadoes meeting with an Immovable, Unbreakable, Large Cube

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-04)

What would happen to a tornado if a Large, Immovable, Unbreakable and Obsidian Cube was in its path?

The tornado is on a flat plain... but is heading towards the cube.

By large, I mean the length of the cube's edges is as long as half the width/height of the tornado, whichever is larger.

Or is this more Physics, instead, of Earth Science?

**Tags:** meteorology, tornado, dynamics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You might approach an answer by asking why tornados almost always (AFAIK, anyway) form over flatlands, rather than mountains.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 - Why would that help?  
> **username_2**: @username_1 http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/03/14/tornadoes-dont-happen-in-mountains-or-do-they-debunking-the-myth/  
> **username_1**: @Malandy: Because mountains are pretty fair approximations to large, unbreakable cubes.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-05-04. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

It depends.

Take a look at [this recorded presentation](https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/videogateway.cgi/id/28354?recordingid=28354) from the [27th Conference on Severe Local Storms](https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/webprogram/meeting.html#Sunday1) by David C. Lewellen and the accompanying [pre-print](https://ams.confex.com/ams/27SLS/webprogram/Manuscript/Paper254357/SLS14_pap_submit.pdf). This talk focuses on the effect of buildings on tornadoes though the buildings are examined as fixed blocks they are not modified or damaged, but remain a fixed obstacle to the tornado (he toward the end does show that he models forces of the tornado on the building but does not allow that to change the building).

The effect of the block depends on whether the tornado is high or low swirl, the relative position of the block to the tornado and the size of the tornado. The block weakened some tornadoes and strengthened others.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I didn't actually think something like that would exist, 'cause the idea that a building is a fixed block is, I thought, totally unrealistic...  
> **username_2**: @Malandy it is much easier to model the buildings as fixed objects to get first order effects than it is to allow then to be deformed/destroyed and add all of the debris to the model.  Using fixed buildings also allows you to see how the resulting change in dynamics modified the tornado.  

---

