This map shows where most tornadoes form in the United States. The red area is known as "Tornado Alley". Most of the tornadoes in the southern U.S. near the Gulf of Mexico are formed by hurricanes
Click on image for full size

What is "Tornado Alley"?

The land which stretches from Texas to Manitoba is relatively flat, most of which is part of the Great Plains in the United States. The flat land is a good breeding ground for the storms which produce tornadoes. Cold dry polar air from Canada can move to the south without any obstacles, as can warm moist tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico move to the north. Most tornadoes in the United States form in an area called "Tornado Alley". This area includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. Storm chasers frequent this area because it has the highest frequency of tornadoes. These tornadoes are formed by thunderstorms. Some tornadoes in southern states such as Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia are formed by hurricanes.

Last modified April 29, 2016 by Jennifer Bergman.

You might also be interested in:

Traveling Nitrogen Classroom Activity Kit

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

How a Tornado Forms

Most tornadoes form in a part of a supercell thunderstorm called a mesocyclone. The mesocyclone draws energy into the storm so it can last for hours. Scientists aren't sure why, but some can create tornadoes....more

Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are one of the most thrilling and dangerous types of weather phenomena. Over 40,000 thunderstorms occur throughout the world each day. Thunderstorms form when very warm, moist air rises into...more

Hurricanes (also known as Tropical Cyclones)

As a strong hurricane heads towards a vulnerable coast, people take precautions - boarding up houses, packing the car, and evacuating. These massive storms can spell disaster for people in hurricane prone...more

Things You Probably Don't Know About Lightning

Everyone knows that lightning is very dangerous. But how much do you really know about lightning? Do you know how it really works? How many people are killed or injured each year? Where do most lightning...more

What is "Tornado Alley"?

The land which stretches from Texas to Manitoba is relatively flat, most of which is part of the Great Plains in the United States. The flat land is a good breeding ground for the storms which produce...more

How Radar Works

Radar is short for "radio detection and ranging". A transmitter emits pulses of high frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves). These waves strike conductive objects and are backscattered to the receiver....more

Stability

Have you ever tried to balance a long stick on your hand? Hard, isn't it? That's because the stick is part of an unstable system. If the wind pushes the stick a little bit, it will keep going in that direction....more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA