What natural phenomenon occurs when hot air and cold air clash together?

The occurrence of tornadoes is linked to the clash of hot and cold air. When warm, moist air rises and meets cooler, drier air, a significant temperature and pressure differential can form. This clash creates instability in the atmosphere and can lead to the development of storms. Under specific conditions, such as the presence of wind shear and a strong updraft, these storms can intensify and organize into a rotating column of air, resulting in a tornado.

This process highlights how tornadoes are primarily driven by the interaction between different air masses, specifically when hot, humid air goes upward and meets cooler, descending air. This dynamic is crucial for the formation of severe thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes, making it a direct consequence of the conditions created by the meeting of hot and cold air.

Other options refer to different natural phenomena that do not originate from the same air mass interactions. Hurricanes, for example, are large storm systems formed over warm ocean waters and require a different set of atmospheric conditions. Earthquakes result from tectonic plate movements, while floods are typically caused by excessive rainfall or the overflow of water bodies and are not directly related to the interaction of air masses.