Tornado alley

Tornado Alley is a nickname for several states in the central United States noted for their high rates of tornadic activity. These states usually include South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, although the boundaries of Tornado Alley vary significantly between sources. The perception is based on accurate accounting of hundreds of tornadoes that occur in this region each year. However, many people criticize the idea of Tornado Alley for obscuring recognition of other parts of the country that experience tornadoes, particularly the so-called Dixie Alley near the Gulf Coast.

Background

Tornadoes are some of the most dangerous and mysterious weather-related phenomenon. They are rapidly spinning columns of wind that form between the ground and storms in the sky. The violent motion, tremendous speed, and unpredictable behavior of tornadoes make them a danger to millions of people each year. The tornado is an almost worldwide occurrence, appearing in many lands including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. The United States has a long history of tornadic activity and experiences more than one thousand of these harrowing weather events each year.

Despite the commonality of tornadoes, their exact nature is still unclear and debated. Scientists are unsure exactly what causes the formation and behavior of tornadoes. Usually, tornadoes form beneath rotating thunderstorms called supercells. In addition, temperature differences around the storms often contribute to their formation. However, tornadoes are not all formed the same way or triggered by the same scenarios. Research into tornadoes and their causes is ongoing.

Scientists have been keeping track of tornadic activity in the United States since 1950, with ever-evolving technology and record-keeping techniques. One such technique involves rating the strength of the tornado, which is generally only possible once the tornado has run its course. Scientists examine the form, path, and results of the tornado to rate its strength on the EF-Scale, or Enhanced Fujita Scale. This scale mainly measures the damage caused by the tornado. Smaller tornadoes that might only lift shingles off roofs are generally rated low, whereas massive tornadoes that level houses and trees will rate much higher. Determining the EF-Scale can help estimate wind speeds, study the causes of the tornado, and create accurate documentation.

Overview

The storms that cause tornadoes can occur nearly anywhere on the planet, meaning that tornadoes are not limited to any one area. They have occurred on every continent, except possibly Antarctica. In the United States, tornadoes have occurred in every state. However, some areas see much more tornadic activity than others. The most tornado-prone areas are usually toward the middle of the latitude scale, where warm and cold air are most likely to meet, causing supercell storms and possibly triggering tornadoes.

The United States has the highest rate of tornadoes of any country, and many of these take place in the so-called Tornado Alley. Tornado Alley is a name applied to a large swathe of the central states, generally including much of South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, which are known to have many tornadoes. In addition, the climate in this region is suited to produce more intense tornadoes. Tornado Alley events often rate EF-3 or higher on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, meaning they are strong to violent in scale and destructive power.

However, the Tornado Alley designation is mainly derived from news media and mostly unscientific. Attempts to pinpoint the definite boundaries of Tornado Alley are difficult or impossible because of the various criteria by which scientists may measure tornadic activity. In addition, the traditional perspective of Tornado Alley as a more-or-less vertical line through the center of the United States may be misleading.

Despite the popularity of the Tornado Alley perception, tornadoes may occur in any state. In fact, tornadic activity shifts annually due to temperature changes. In the winter, more tornadoes occur in the Southeast. In the spring, these phenomena become more common in the Plains. By summer, tornadoes appear more often in the Midwest. Most tornadoes occur in the traditional Tornado Alley region around May through July. The whirling winds are most common in the southern parts, such as Texas and Kansas, in May and early June. In June and July, tornadoes become more prevalent in the northern parts, such as Nebraska and South Dakota. In all cases, tornadoes may occur at any time of day or night but most often happen in the late afternoon and evening.

Many critics point out that the Tornado Alley perception overlooks the true reality of tornadoes in the United States. First, tornadoes can and do occur in every state. The popular misconception that only people in Tornado Alley will face tornadoes may lead those outside that area to ignore, or never realize, the threat they may face. For that reason, people outside Tornado Alley may be dangerously unprepared if they encounter a tornado.

Second, the Tornado Alley perception clouds public recognition of the frequent tornadoes that strike in other parts of the country, particularly the Gulf Coast. This region of the United States is referred to as Dixie Alley when referring to its high frequency of tornadoes. Many climatologists believe that in this area tornadoes may be even more common, and more damaging, than those that occur in Tornado Alley. These storms usually occur in late fall, generally from October to December, and may radiate out from high points in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and as far north as New York.

Bibliography

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