http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/top-tornado-states_2012-03-06#1 Florida
12.3 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
The presence of The Sunshine State on Dr. Forbes tornado lists always surprises people. However, when you look at the geography of the state, we shouldn't be.
"Several things contribute to there being a lot of tornadoes in Florida," says Dr. Forbes.
"It's surrounded by water so they can get tornadoes any month. Also, Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the United States. It has the most thunderstorms per square mile and some of those storms produce tornadoes."
Florida is also a frequent target for hurricanes. Hurricanes often spawn tornadoes once they move inland. So the combination of spring tornado season and summer and fall hurricane season creates an almost year-round tornado threat for Florida.
#2 Kansas
11.7 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
"Kansas is the Wizard of Oz state. People think of Dorothy and the tornado," says Tornado Expert Dr. Greg Forbes. "(Kansas) has earned a reputation as one of the states in the heart of tornado alley."
Kansas' landscape aids to its tornado reputation. Dr. Forbes says the lack of trees and flat topography simply make it easy to spot tornadoes.
"Especially in the month of May and into early June, the Central Plains light up with thunderstorms and tornadoes," says Dr. Forbes. "The Gulf of Mexico moisture comes north and dry air from the Southwest or Rockies collides with that Gulf moisture and trigger thunderstorms and tornadoes. "
Kansas is certainly one of the worst states when it comes to tornadoes and tragedy.
In 2007, the town of Greensburg was destroyed by an EF-5 tornado that was 1.7 miles wide. The Greensburg, Kansas twister was actually wider than the town itself!
#3 Maryland
9.9 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
Maryland is the ninth smallest state in the nation, but it's the fifth largest when it comes to population density.
"Maryland doesn't get a whole lot of tornadoes in terms of numbers but it's a small state area-wise," reports Tornado Expert Dr. Greg Forbes. "So when you analyze the data, it winds up pretty high on the list."
In the early 2000's, the Free State was hit by two notable and deadly tornadoes. An F4 tornado hit La Plata, about 30 miles southeast of Washington D.C., in 2002 killing four people and destroying several downtown buildings.
April 28, 2002
La Plata & Charles County
24-mile long path of damage
Sept. 24, 2001
Univ. of Maryland (College Park) F3 strength
It's Maryland location between the mountains and the sea that contribute to its tornado history.
"It's just east of the Appalachians. The air sinks down off the Appalachians and there's a little bit of low pressure trough that sets up and trigger thunderstorms," says Dr. Forbes. "It's also close to the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean so there are some local winds the thunderstorms can tap to create tornadoes."
#4 Illinois
9.6 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
When you think of tornadoes and cities, Chicago doesn't usually come to mind. But Tornado Expert Dr. Greg Forbes says Illinois has a long twister history.
"In March 1976, a twister narrowly missed President Ford's motorcade in Chicago!"
Illinois was also the site of the deadliest tornado in U.S. history: the Tri-State Tornado. It struck Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana on March 18, 1925 and caused 695 deaths, the majority of them in Southern Illinois. The Tri-State tornado is also the longest tornado ever recorded in the world, with an astounding 219-mile track.
The state lies on the eastern fringe of the traditional Plains stretch known as Tornado Alley. Dr. Forbes also says its flat topography helps when it comes to spotting tornadoes.
"It's fairly flat and has pretty good visibility so a lot of the tornadoes that form are being seen," reports Dr. Forbes.
The state's biggest city, Chicago, may be known for its winds but you should be prepared for tornadoes as well.
"Chicago even has a bit of a tornado alley up on the Northwest side toward O'Hare Airport," says Dr. Forbes.
#5 Mississippi
9.2 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
Mississippi is one of the highest risk states in terms of tornado fatalities per square mile, according to Dr. Forbes. The state has several factors that combine to create a dangerous formula for tornadoes.
"The combination of nighttime tornadoes, cool season tornadoes, a lot of mobile homes, and lower visibility (more trees and hills) contribute to a higher risk of tornadoes in Mississippi," says Dr. Forbes.
Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana are the heart of the so-called Dixie Tornado Alley. Dixie Alley is at higher risk of year-round tornadoes due to its proximity to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
"Tornadoes can more easily happen year around in Dixie Alley. The Gulf of Mexico moisture can come up into this area year-round and create tornadoes. During the winter, that Gulf moisture won't get up into Kansas and the Plains to create tornadoes."
Mississippi, along with all of the Gulf States, also has a higher tendency for night tornadoes which are particularly deadly.
Mississippi was hit during the April 25-28, 2011 Super Outbreak. The state recorded 31 deaths as the result of that tornado outbreak.
#6 Iowa
9.2 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
"Iowa is in the eastern part of the traditional Tornado Alley," explains Tornado Expert Dr. Greg Forbes.
"It has had some notable tornadoes over the years, some F-5's and EF-5's."
Iowa could be considered the site of one of the first of 2011's tornado outbreaks.
On April 9, an EF-4 tornado touched down south of Pocahontas, Iowa. It was one of five tornadoes that were on the ground in Pocahontas County that day.
Dr. Forbes says, in a regular tornado year, the Iowa outbreak would have been the major event. However, the tornado outbreaks in Alabama and Joplin, Missouri would overshadow Iowa's 2011 tornado events.
"They were part of what would wind up being a record month and triple the old April record with more than 750 tornadoes."
#7 Oklahoma
9.0 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
Oklahoma, with its long and stories tornado history, is a prime stomping ground for stormchasers including Dr. Forbes.
"I saw my biggest tornado in person in May of 2010 just northeast of Oklahoma City," explains Dr. Forbes.
"Two storms intersected and spawned what might be called a fluke tornado. We were one of the few people that actually saw it. "
On average, the Oklahoma City metro area gets about one tornado per year. It's one of the highest density cities in America for tornadoes.
What is it about Oklahoma that makes it a breeding ground for tornadoes?
"Oklahoma is right on the dry line, the moisture front that separates out the warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico from drier air that comes out of the Southwest. It's very common as upper air systems pull in those two air masses and touch off storms."
Oklahoma has a very specific tornado season, which is the month of May and about two weeks on either side of that.
#8 South Carolina
8.9 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
South Carolina has its share of spring tornadoes but it's the fall tornadoes from encroaching tropical systems, that propel it into the Top 10.
"South Carolina is a state that has mountains on its west side and theAtlantic Ocean on its east side," says Dr. Forbes.
"In the right situation, in the central part of the state (the plains) there can be a bit of a convergent zone for tornadoes."
Tornadoes are also one of the main inland concerns from hurricanes and tropical systems. In the fall, South Carolina is particularly susceptible to those types of tornadoes due to its long coastline.
South Carolina's Tornado History (1950-2010)
Tornadoes Deaths Longest Path Widest Path
894 60 121 miles (1957) 2600 feet (1984)
"Both Carolinas have some pretty substantial tornado outbreaks," reports Dr. Forbes.
Each of those states have had tornadoes on April 27 of last year, one of the busiest days during last year's record tornado season.
#9 Alabama
8.6 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
I lived through the deadly tornado that struck Huntsville, Alabama in 1989. I huddled in my basement as the F-4 twister crested a hill barely half a mile from my home, barreled down Carl T. Jones Drive, and decimated the beautiful Jones Valley and my childhood elementary school. Books from the elementary school were found in neighboring Tennessee.
Living in Alabama, twisters are a part of life. That fact hit home again during 2011's tragic outbreak.
"It does seem like there are some mini tornado alleys in Alabama," says Dr. Forbes. "Some of them right there at the Tennessee River (Huntsville area) and at the base of the Appalachian mountain chain (the Birmngham area)."
This list does not include statistics from last year's outbreak since the National Weather Service hasn't released its final 2011 numbers yet. But Dr. Forbes says Alabama will move higher up this list when the final numbers are released.
"My best estimate is the Alabama will jump up at least two places on the list because of the onslaught of tornadoes they had in 2011."
Alabama had a state record of 145 tornadoes in 2011, according to Dr. Forbes.
#10 Louisiana
8.5 tornadoes
(per 10,000 miles)
Louisiana largely conjures up thoughts of hurricanes, but they are among the states frequently hit by tornadoes.
"Louisiana gets quite a few tornadoes," says Dr. Forbes.
"Some of them have come from tropical systems. In the winter months, sometimes they come from thunderstorms sitting over the Gulf of Mexico and creep into the coastal part of the state."
Louisiana's Tornado History
Tornadoes (1950 - 2010)
Deaths Longest Path Widest Path
1689 204 234 miles 3080 feet
"The bottom line is every state has had tornadoes," says Dr. Forbes. "Every month of the year it's possible to get a tornado. It's all about awareness."
