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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
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Where else in the world do tornadoes frequently occur?

When Nature Strikes: Tornadoes

When Nature Strikes: What Could You See as a Tornado Approaches Classroom Activity

What is "Tornado Alley"?

A section of the Great Plains in the central part of the United States is called "Tornado Alley". This is because more tornadoes form here than any other part of the country. The plains are flat which allows cold polar air from Canada to meet warm tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. Storm chasers go Tornado Alley looking for tornadoes because there are so many that form there.

Last modified April 29, 2016 by Jennifer Bergman.

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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