What is Tornado Alley?
Tornado Alley is a nickname in the popular media for a broad swath of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central United States. Various Tornado Alley maps that you may see can look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways—by all tornadoes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods. Remember, this is only a map of greatest incidence. Violent or killer tornadoes do happen outside this Tornado Alley every year. Tornadoes can occur almost anywhere in the United States, and even overseas.
Tornado Alley is a nickname in the popular media for a broad swath of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central U.S. Various Tornado Alley maps which you may see can look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways — by all tornadoes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods. Most recently, Concannon, et al., have prepared a “Tornado Alley” map using significant tornado data. Remember, this is only a map of greatest incidence. Violent or killer tornadoes do happen outside this Tornado Alley every year. Tornadoes can occur almost anywhere in the U.S., including west of the Rockies and east of the Appalachians — and even in Canada and overseas. west of the Rockies and east of the Appalachians — and even in Canada and overseas.
Tornado Alley is a section of the United States which is especially prone to frequent, severe tornadoes, especially when compared to the rest of the United States. Several states in this region are famous for their twisters; the states of Oklahoma and Kansas, for example, are very well-known for their vicious tornadoes. Especially during the time of year when tornadoes are most common, known colloquially as tornado season, Tornado Alley tends to be in the news a lot. Although the term “Tornado Alley” is frequently thrown around, there is actually some dispute as to which region of the United States should be classified as Tornado Alley. Most maps focus on the Great Plains states between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians, with many specifically highlighting the states which are in the direct middle of the United States, while others may wander as far as Florida. The dispute over the boundaries of Tornado Alley is rooted in arguments about how to define Tornado Alley. If one goes
Tornado Alley is a nickname in the popular media for a broad swath of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central U.S. Various Tornado Alley maps which you may see can look different because tornado occurrence can be measured many ways — by all tornadoes, tornado county-segments, strong and violent tornadoes only, and databases with different time periods. Most recently, Concannon, et al., have prepared a “Tornado Alley” map using significant tornado data. Remember, this is only a map of greatest incidence. Violent or killer tornadoes do happen outside this Tornado Alley every year. Tornadoes can occur almost anywhere in the U.S., including west of the Rockies and east of the Appalachians — and even in Canada and overseas.
