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Tornadoes are produced by large (supercell) thunderstorms that often grow to over 40,000 feet. Mouse over the different regions of the continental United States on the map below to see the average number of tornadoes per year.

Which two states have the highest number of tornadoes
per year per 10,000 sq miles?

Texas and Florida
 Oklahoma and Indiana
 Oklahoma and Texas
 Florida and Indiana
Notice that the location with the highest number of thunderstorms does not match the location with the highest number of tornadoes. Click here to compare the two maps.

Why do so many tornadoes form in this part of the South central plains of North America?

 

Many important crops are grown here.
 The land is very flat.
 The area experiences very unstable atmospheric conditions that can lead to the development of supercell thunderstorms.
 This region of the U.S. is known for dry, cool surface air temperatures.
The Central Plains is 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.

Look at the map above. The blue lines show the paths of tornadoes produced by storms on April 3rd & 4th, 1974. Why are the lines all parallel and pointing in a Southwest to North direction?
The storms were moving from the Southwest to the Northeast.
 They follow major highways.

Xenia's Killer Tornado! Read all about it!

Do you want to play "Chase the Tornado?" Give it a whirl!

Found out how tornadoes form! Click here!

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