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 in the central United States is the best breeding ground for the
storms which produce tornadoes. The land in the Great Plains is
relatively flat, which allows cold dry polar air from Canada to meet
warm moist tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. It's along the front
between the two airmasses that most tornadoes
form.
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 travel to this area because of the high concentration of
tornadoes. These tornadoes are formed by
thunderstorms. Some of
the tornadoes in the southern states such as Florida, South Carolina, and
Georgia are caused by
hurricanes.
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