How fast does a tornado travel?

The average tornado travels at 30 mph, although people have observed tornadoes moving at up to 70 mph. Tornadoes that occur in the winter and early spring generally move quicker than those at other times of the year, because they emerge from strong, east-moving fronts.

A tornado's destructive potential comes both from the speed of its winds and the speed with which it travels along its path. Tornadoes can touch down on the ground for a period as short as a few seconds to over an hour. The average tornado touchdown lasts around 10 minutes, during which time the tornado travels about 5 miles.