When was tornado alley

Tornadoes can last from several seconds to more than an hour. The longest-lived tornado in history is really unknown, since so many long-lived tornadoes that were reported before the mids are now believed to have been a series of tornadoes. Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes. The deadliest tornado in American history was invisible. In , the Tri-State Tornado ravaged a mile-wide path for miles across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana at 60 to 70 mph—twice the forward speed of the average tornado.

When the funnel cloud touches the ground, it is considered a tornado. For example, Texas and Kansas alone average and 96 tornadoes each year , respectively. This number is a significant portion of the over 1, tornadoes that the United States sees each year. There is an ongoing debate among weather experts about whether Tornado Alley is shifting to east. In recent years, it has been southern states, such as Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, that have been hardest hit by tornadoes.

Some researchers say the whole concept of Tornado Alley is outdated , and anyone living east of the continental divide is vulnerable to tornadoes. This can be reflected most recently when a string of 48 tornadoes affected southern states in March Whether you live in Tornado Alley or another region of the U. If you do experience tornado damage, ServiceMaster Restore is here to help.

We have more than locations across the United States that are locally owned and operated. Our tornado damage restoration experts will help you get back to normal as quickly as possible. Open Accessibility Menu. Weather Author: ServiceMaster Restore. What is Tornado Alley? Where is Tornado Alley? However, the following states are typically considered the core part of Tornado Alley: Iowa Kansas Nebraska Oklahoma South Dakota Texas Several other states such as Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, and Ohio are sometimes included in the Tornado Alley region due to the increased factors that are favorable to the creation of these dangerous storms.

Is Tornado Alley Shifting? This region of the U. The Great Plains are conducive to the type of thunderstorms supercells that spawn tornadoes. It is in this region that cool, dry air in the upper levels of the atmosphere caps warm, humid surface air.

This situation leads to a very unstable atmosphere and the development of severe thunderstorms. The storms were moving from the southwest to the northeast. They follow major highways. Skip to main content.