Why is the central USA so prone to tornado formation?
The central USA has a continental climate, which makes it susceptible to both cold and dry air from the north as well as hot and humid air from the south. Powerful jet stream winds move across the boundary between these two different air masses. Strong to severe thunderstorms often develop that can produce tornadoes. The peak months for tornadoes in the central USA are April through July. This USA TODAY resource page shows where in the USA tornadoes are most likely, while this page explains “tornado alley.” (Answered by National Weather Service meteorologist Dennis Feltgen in Silver Spring, Md.
