Tornadoes have the potential to form basically anywhere in the world, and the US is one of the biggest countries where tornadoes form. The region most active for tornado activity is Tornado Alley, in the middle of the country. Why is this so? Why do all tornadoes form in Tornado Alley?

Tornado Alley Background

As I said above, Tornado Alley is the region where most tornadoes in the US form. It is located in the middle of the country covering states such as Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas. There is a little region just east of Tornado Alley where tornadoes are also likely. This included states such as Mississippi, Alabama, Tennesee, and Georgia. Tornadoes often occur in the months April and May, but anytime in the season of spring.

Why are Tornadoes More Likely to Occur in Tornado Alley?

Tornado Alley is in a great location for tornadoes. It is located in the middle from Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. These two regions play a big part in Tornado Alley. From Canada comes the cold, dry air masses which merge and bump into warm, humid air masses from the Gulf of Mexico. If you know the factors that cause tornadoes, you know that cold air + warm air = TORNADO. Although this is not the only factor that causes tornadoes, this is one important one. So when the cold air from Canada forms with the warm air from the Gulf, strong, intense thunderstorms are produced. Some super intense storms may receive the name 'supercells', whic are just very powerful thunderstorms. Tornadoes are most likely to occur in supercells then you regular run-of-the-mill thunderstorms.

Another characteristic of the states in Tornado Alley all share is flatness. Tornadoes are likely impossible to blow through a big city with a lot of walls, buildings, structures, etc. (it is possible, but very rare) Tornado Alley is very flat and hillless, providing just the perfect conditions for tornadoes to form. Tornadoes thrive on flat surfaces. It is obviously easier for the tornado to form and move along earth if the ground is flat. This is why tornadoes LOVE Tornado Alley.

Which State is Hit the Most by Tornadoes?

As many people would agrue Oklahoma, Texas is actually the state that gets hit by tornadoes. From 1950 until 200, Texas has had 5,500 tornadoes hit the state! Thats like 115 per year! I love being from Texas...

The Fujita Scale

The Fujita Scale is a scale to measure a tornado's intensity. This scale ranks tornadoes from 1 to 5, F1 being the weakest and F5 being the worse. The Fujita Scale follows:

F0 (40 - 72 mph wind) - Not much damage, many some toppled tree, downed chimneys.

F1 (73-112 mph wind) - Shingles peeled from roof, pushes objects such as cars and unstable mobilehomes.

F2 (113-157 mph wind) - A good bit of damage. Mobilehomes destroyed, roofs blown off structures, large trees destroyed.

F3 (158-206 mph wind) - Trains blown over as well as roofs on big structues.

F4 (207 - 260 mph wind) - Houses leveled, cars are flung into air.

F5 (261 - 308 mph wind) - Strong house destroyed, objects like cars or house appliances become like missiles flying through the air very fast.

F6 (hardly possible, but I had to list it because of the description :), 319 - 379) - Like I said, this is hardly possible, but I love what could happen. Things such as cars, refrigerators, and washers are flung through the air, smashing into things causing terrible damage, everything is pretty much leveled.

Well, I hoped you learned some facts about tornadoes as well as Tornado Alley. Thanks for reading!

--John

http://johnburgdorf.webs.com/

http://luxuryhomesandplaces.webs.com/