Q: In the article published about the new passport office in downtown Atlanta, there was no address given or phone number -- just that it is across the street from the Hyatt on the 10th floor. Can you provide this information to readers?
-- Nancy Dalton, Douglasville
A: The Atlanta Passport Agency is at 230 Peachtree St. N.W., Suite 1000. Appointments are necessary; call 1-877-487-2778. The State Department's office is expected to process 50,000 passport applications annually.
Q: After the Joplin, Mo., tornado, there were reports of children being “sucked out” of their parents' arms. In addition, one man reported he was levitated out of his bathtub by the tornado’s “suction.” While I don’t doubt the victims' experiences, I wonder if suction was actually involved. One reporter said the suction was due to the low pressure at the center of the funnel. Is a pressure differential actually the cause of this sensation or is it a case of the 200 mph wind getting under objects, or a winglike effect causing lift?
-- Bob Sullivan, Canton
A: In the Joplin tornado and other major tornadoes (EF 4 and 5), there are multiple vortexes, where the strongest winds and updrafts can occur, David Chandley, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist, told Q&A on the News. Since their rotation is so small, they create the suction motion. Typically, these tight funnels dance around the main vortex, he said.
Lori Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or e-mail q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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