twister

Twister is a term used for several unrelated concepts in popular culture, meteorology, and food. In its most common meteorological sense, a twister is a colloquial name for a tornado, a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes are measured by the Enhanced Fujita scale, which rates damage from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (most destructive). They typically form in the United States’ “Tornado Alley,” but can occur worldwide wherever severe thunderstorms develop.

The name also refers to a physical skill‑testing party game introduced in 1966 by the Milton Bradley Company. The game consists of a large plastic mat printed with colored circles and a spinner that directs players to place a hand or foot on a specific color. Success requires flexibility and balance, and the game has become a staple at social gatherings and in popular media.

Twister is additionally a brand name for a citrus‑based soft drink, first marketed in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s. The beverage combines lemon, lime, and orange flavours, and is sold in cans and bottles as a non‑alcoholic alternative to traditional sodas. A related confection, Twister candy, is a chewy, fruit‑flavoured treat produced by several confectionery companies.

The term appears in other contexts, such as the “Twister” roller coaster model used by amusement parks and the “Twister” series of computer graphics software for simulating fluid dynamics. Despite the variety of uses, each shares a common theme of rapid movement or twisting motion, reflecting the word’s literal meaning.