TYLER, Texas — "Tornado Alley" is a term often heard in pop culture from movies and books that paints an image of a twister spinning through the great plains. Although this creates an excellent picture for movies, it gives a blurred idea of where tornadoes can actually occur.
Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci explains that although these areas are sweet spots for storm chasers like himself, tornadoes happen just as frequently, or in some cases more often in areas east of tornado alley.
"Picture Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas the flat states that really have high contrast tornadoes that when in reality, that’s only storm chase alley when really we have tornadoes in the Eastern half of the nation, many of which can’t really be seen all that well or make a good video so even though tornados happen there we just don’t see them as much in the media," he said.
In fact, areas like East Texas and especially the Ark-La-Tex region – which is not under the traditional tornado alley area – have a better opportunity at experiencing tornadoes more often.
The National Weather Service Warning Coordinator, Charlie Woodrum, explains.
“The Alto tornadoes which hit in 2019, were very unique because multiple tornadoes in two different storms crossed Alto within a couple hours of each other, and particularly one of those storms produced a long tracked tornado that was rain-wrapped and very difficult to see," he said. "So what happens is the downpours with the storm masks the tornado and no one can really see the tornado coming and making it very dangerous.”
By directing our thinking towards the idea that tornadoes can happen anywhere, at any time, under the right conditions, we can do a better job of preparing and saving lives.