Very interesting paper now being presented by Alan Gerard from NWS Jackson. I am not sure it is a good thing to brag on your tornado statistics, but this will be an eye opener for the national media that thinks the big tornadoes are exclusive to Oklahoma and Kansas.
These notes are being typed live as Alan speaks... will be in shotgun form.
Tornado Alley in this paper is defined from North Texas north through Kansas and Nebraska. Dixie Alley is Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, western two-thirds of Tennessee, and parts of Georgia. The "tornado alley" is larger in terms of geography, but the "Dixie alley" has more population density.
The perception is that just about all tornadoes happen in this area. Hard to find the origins of "Tornado Alley".
Research shows there are MANY different tornado alleys around the nation.
The term "Dixie Alley" has origins in outbreaks in 1952 (AR/TN - 204 deaths) and 1971 (Mississippi Delta - 121 deaths). Alan Pearson (director of SELS) did a paper using the term "Dixie Alley" after the 1971 MS Delta outbreak.
Which alley is under the gretest threat of tornadoes for the entire year?
DIXIE ALLEY> Tornados are spread out through the the entire year.
Data for this study is from 1950 to 2003 and is from the SPC "onetor" database, and focused on strong/violent tornadoes.
Tornado Alley has many more F0/F1 tornadoes, but the number of F3, F4, and F5 tornadoes is almost dead even.
Dixie Alley has far more tornadoes during the fall season of November and December.
Dixie Alley has far more killer tornadoes than tornado alley. This might have to with the higher population density. Many more people also live in mobile homes in Dixie Alley.
There are far more strong/violent tornadoes at all hours of the day across Dixie Alley, including the overnight and early morning hours. Most tornado alley tornadoes are in the late afternoon and evening hours.
Not much difference in path length between the two "alleys".
Total tornado fatalies during research term... 1900 in Dixie Alley, 1200 in Tornado Alley. Much higher number of deaths here. Once again, population density plays a factor. Funny how the nation media seems to ignore this.
Dixie Alley has not had a big March tornado outbreak in a long time. You have to consider we are overdue.
Survey of More Recent Stats
From 1998 through 2004 (post NWS modernization)
Dixie Alley ahd 1.5 times as many strong/violent tornadoes as Tornado Alley (338 vs 206). Tornado Alley had more tornadoes overall (2278 vs 1703)
Killer tornadoes much more prevalent in Dixie Alley.
The highest percentage over a three month period in Dixie Alley is March, April, and May. The highest percentage in Tornado Alley is April, May, and June.
Eight out of 12 months have at least five percent of the annual strong tornado days. Only five months in tornado alley.
Very interesting stuff and a great report by Alan.
MORE TO COME...
These notes are being typed live as Alan speaks... will be in shotgun form.
Tornado Alley in this paper is defined from North Texas north through Kansas and Nebraska. Dixie Alley is Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, western two-thirds of Tennessee, and parts of Georgia. The "tornado alley" is larger in terms of geography, but the "Dixie alley" has more population density.
The perception is that just about all tornadoes happen in this area. Hard to find the origins of "Tornado Alley".
Research shows there are MANY different tornado alleys around the nation.
The term "Dixie Alley" has origins in outbreaks in 1952 (AR/TN - 204 deaths) and 1971 (Mississippi Delta - 121 deaths). Alan Pearson (director of SELS) did a paper using the term "Dixie Alley" after the 1971 MS Delta outbreak.
Which alley is under the gretest threat of tornadoes for the entire year?
DIXIE ALLEY> Tornados are spread out through the the entire year.
Data for this study is from 1950 to 2003 and is from the SPC "onetor" database, and focused on strong/violent tornadoes.
Tornado Alley has many more F0/F1 tornadoes, but the number of F3, F4, and F5 tornadoes is almost dead even.
Dixie Alley has far more tornadoes during the fall season of November and December.
Dixie Alley has far more killer tornadoes than tornado alley. This might have to with the higher population density. Many more people also live in mobile homes in Dixie Alley.
There are far more strong/violent tornadoes at all hours of the day across Dixie Alley, including the overnight and early morning hours. Most tornado alley tornadoes are in the late afternoon and evening hours.
Not much difference in path length between the two "alleys".
Total tornado fatalies during research term... 1900 in Dixie Alley, 1200 in Tornado Alley. Much higher number of deaths here. Once again, population density plays a factor. Funny how the nation media seems to ignore this.
Dixie Alley has not had a big March tornado outbreak in a long time. You have to consider we are overdue.
Survey of More Recent Stats
From 1998 through 2004 (post NWS modernization)
Dixie Alley ahd 1.5 times as many strong/violent tornadoes as Tornado Alley (338 vs 206). Tornado Alley had more tornadoes overall (2278 vs 1703)
Killer tornadoes much more prevalent in Dixie Alley.
The highest percentage over a three month period in Dixie Alley is March, April, and May. The highest percentage in Tornado Alley is April, May, and June.
Eight out of 12 months have at least five percent of the annual strong tornado days. Only five months in tornado alley.
Very interesting stuff and a great report by Alan.
MORE TO COME...