Why does the Midwest have tornadoes but California does not?
Jun 09, 2009
in
Tornado Questions
We were traveling in a strong rain today and my daughter asked the above question and I could not think of a good answer. Does the answer have to do with moist air from the Caribbean meeting dry cool air form Canada?
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4 comments
cyswxman on June 9, 2009 at 9:27 pm
The conditions that are most favorable for tornadic development include unstable warm and moist air co-located in an area of strong wind shear (wind changing speed and/or direction as altitude increases). The unstable warm and moist air can lead to strong to severe thunderstorms, and if the wind shear is right, tornadoes can form within the storms. The plains of the US see these conditions more often than the western US, including California. The mountainous terrain of the west tends to disrupt low level shear and the instability (the tendency for air to rise) is typically less than over the plains.
mrw0113 on June 9, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Tornadoes occur in all 50 states, and on every inhabited continent. So, your question itself is incorrect.
In fact, a tornado occurred on January 24, 2008 (5 days ago) in Ventura County near Point Mugu Naval Air Station.
Had your daughter known better, she might have asked "Why are tornadoes more common in the Midwest than in California?"
The Midwest has the right combination of geography and climate to create large, strong storms, whereas California has a different geography and climate that makes large, strong storms harder to form.
tornadoman1955 on June 9, 2009 at 9:27 pm
correct yourself there was a small tornado in southern cali near visala did some damage knocking over power poles and trees it was confirmed …,this happened sunday jan 24..thankfully noone got hurt…..
Freight_Train on June 9, 2009 at 9:27 pm
All of the answers are correct in that tornados do happen in all 50 states.
They are also correct that tornados occure in other places around the world.
They are the most common in the meid west because of the warm moist air that come from the Gulf of Mexico that colides with cool dry air from the north.
What the other posts did not mention are the links to show the resources
Here is an excelent link that is constantly being updated.
The Tornado History Project
http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/
Other Resources about tornados.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/tstorms/tstorms_intro.htm
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/tstorms/tornado.htm
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/faq/faq_tor.php
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tornado/wtfaq.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/00758/en/disaster/tornado.html
http://www.hubbard.lib.oh.us/tornado/tornado_faqs.htm
http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/hazard/
map of peak tornado season
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/cae/svrwx/when.htm