Answer – The main states that are in Tornado Alley include Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Colorado. North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Illinois are other states that are sometimes included.

Explanation:

The United States is hit by over 1200 tornadoes every year. While no part of the country is spared of these fiercely rotating air columns, some regions are more prone to them than the rest.

The term ‘Tornado Alley’ is used to refer to a broad area in central United States that is frequently struck by the most violent tornadoes. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, it is a nickname used by the media to indicate the zone. It was used for the first time in 1952 as the title of a research project involving the analysis of severe weather in central America.

The regions that Tornado Alley encompasses are not clearly defined. They often vary based on how tornado occurrence is measured. This could involve considering all tornadoes, only violent tornadoes, or a specific time of the year. However, the core of Tornado Alley includes northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, eastern South Dakota, and eastern Colorado. Other states that are sometimes included are North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Illinois.

These areas are more susceptible to tornadoes because they lack natural barriers like mountains. This exposes them to cold fronts from Canada and warm fronts from the Gulf of Mexico. So when the two fronts collide, thunderstorm systems develop and eventually result in tornadoes. 

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