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Why does the gulf of Mexico help to aid in so many tornadoes over tornado alley?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
The Gulf of Mexico provides surges of warm moist air, which is essentially the fuel that powers the thunderstorms that produce tornadoes.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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What do the states within tornado alley have in common?
The states in Tornado Alley are in a region where warm moist air from the Gulf og Mexico frequently collides with cooler drier air from Canada and the Rockies. These collisions produce stron thunderstorms that can, in turn, produce tornadoes.
How does the geography of the states in Tornado Alley contribute to the number of tornadoes they get?
While the flat land may be a contributing factor, it is the geography surrounding the states that plays a bigger role. Dry air from the Rockies tot he west collides with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, forming a dry line. This triggers the development of thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes.
What location has the highest frequency of tornadoes?
The location that has the highest frequency of tornadoes is called tornado ally. Tornado Ally is mostly known as the middle of the United states, which is northern Texas, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, and the southwestern part of Iowa. Some people also say Ohio and Illinois are are part of it, too. The reason tornadoes are most frequent there is because, during tornado season, which is April through June, the jet stream and the Gulf of Mexico moisture mix, and results in a severe thunderstorm, which can result in a tornado.
Why do most tornadoes in the US happen in tornado alley?
Tornado Alley sees a high frequency of tornadoes because of their ideal climatic setup. In the spring storm systems cause warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to collide with cool air from Canada and dry air from the Rockies, resulting in the formation of strong thunderstorms. About a mile off the ground a layer of stable air holds thunderstorm activity back, allowing instability to build underneath it. As a result when the storm break through the cap the instability will be enormous, leading to explosively powerful thunderstorms. At the same time wind speed and direction varies with altitude, which sets these storms rotating and also strengthens the updraft. This rotation combined with strong thunderstorm updrafts can then produce tornadoes. Such a setup does not occur as often in other parts of the U.S.
How does America's geography affect tornadoes?
The Gulf of Mexico provides warm, moist air that is essentially the fuel of the thunderstorms that produce tornadoes. The Rocky Mountains generate dry air masses that, when they collide with the warm, moist air, can produce chains of violent thunderstorms.
Are tornadoes usually formed in tornado ally?
Yes the majority of tornadoes happen in tornado alley. However it is not because tornado alley is generally flatter then the rest of the US. It has to do with the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meeting the cold air from Canada in that region that causes tornadoes to mainly form there.
What destructive weather results from Texas's location on the Gulf of Mexico?
Texas has two main destructive weathers: tornadoes and hurricanes. Hurricanes evolve from the Gulf of Mexico, so this is your answer. Tornadoes occur more in Northern Texas, away from the Gulf, as this is part of Tornado Alley (an area of high tornado activity).
What is the source of the warm moist air that generates tornadoes in Tornado Alley?
The Gulf of Mexico supplies most of the warm, moist air.
Why do tornadoes occur in tornado alley?
Tornadoes occur there because warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cool dry air from the Rocky Mountains or Canada, this creates the thunderstorms that can spawn tornadoes.
What is the climate of Tornado Alley?
The climate of tornado alley is warm, humid air that usually travels from off the Gulf of Mexico.
Where is tornado alley and why do tornadoes frequesntly form there?
Tornado Alley is in the heart of the US. Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Southwest Iowa, Eastern Colorado, and southern South Dakota. Tornadoes frequently form there because the jet stream mixes with the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico, forming severe thunderstorms that can lead to tornadoes.
What type of air travels to tornado alley from the gulf of Mexico?
The Gulf of Mexico provides warm, moist air.
Why does tornadoes happen in the gulf of Mexico?
Tornadoes do not happen IN the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storms and hurricanes happen in the Gulf of Mex, but not tornadoes. Tornado-like features over water are called waterspouts.
What kind of air masses are colliding over tornado alley?
The colliding air masses in Tornado Alley are warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, cool air from Canada, and dry air from the Rockies. This collision is just part of the recipe for tornadoes.
What do the states within tornado alley have in common?
The states in Tornado Alley are in a region where warm moist air from the Gulf og Mexico frequently collides with cooler drier air from Canada and the Rockies. These collisions produce stron thunderstorms that can, in turn, produce tornadoes.
What is one reason so many tornadoes form in tornado alley?
In Tornado Alley Warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets with dry air masses from the Rockies and/or cool air masses from Canada. These collisions can produce violent thunderstorms that can sometimes produce tornadoes. See the related question below for more detail.
Where do tornadoes occur the most in the US?
The colloquial term is Tornado Alley, generally stretching from Texas to South Dakota and Iowa. There is relatively high tornado activity extending from the Rocky Mountains in the west, to the Appalachian Mountains in the east and from the Gulf of Mexico to southern Canada.See the related Wikipedia link for a nice map of the area:
