“Tornado Alley” isn’t where it used to be, moving to the East and Deep South, according to a new study.
The “alley” — designated as the place in the U.S. where the most tornadoes occurred — used to cover the Plains, with the most activity from northern Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. However, from the mid-1980s to 2020, the center of the most tornadoes shifted to states like Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, the study reported. Further East states such as Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania have also seen increased activity, according to CBS News.
Why has ‘Tornado Alley’ shifted?
Storms that produce thunderstorms are “susceptible” to climate change, Axios reported. Increasing temperatures, higher humidity and wind shear changes are all byproducts of climate change, with “unstable” weather producing more thunderstorm days in places like the East.
In addition, when tornadoes occur has changed, causing ramifications for the location, according to The Weather Channel. Now, more tornadoes occur in the fall and winter and fewer in the summer.
The report suggests that primarily the Southeast has faced huge upticks in fall (80%) and winter (102%) tornadoes.
In addition to pinpointing the shifting “Tornado Alley,” the study indicates that it shows that there isn’t really a “tornado season” in the U.S., though spring is a common time for tornadoes to peak, The Weather Channel reported.
Where have tornado counts surged, waned most?
When measuring the periods between 1951-1985 and 1986-2000 for tornado frequencies, researchers found that tornadoes decreased the most in the western parts of the U.S. — 25%, according to CBS News. Across the country, eastern tornadoes increased the most, by 12%.
Unexpected tornadoes in places not typically associated with the “Tornado Belt” have prompted Americans across the country to prepare for the potential damage, BBC reported. Tornado shelters east of the Great Plains are sparse, meteorologist Craig Ceecee said.
The National Weather Service has confirmed 39 tornado-related deaths this year, according to CBS News.