Early Season Tornado Alley

The area from the central Mississippi Valley to the central Gulf of Mexicocoast is the most common area for large, destructive tornadoes during the earlypart of the spring season. This area generally warms up the fastest in springand has plenty of exposure from Gulf moisture, dry air aloft from theSouthwest, and the clash of cold air at the surface to the north. The maintornado alley for the whole season lies farther west, generally encompassingthe central and southern Plains.The greatest loss of life that results from tornadoes is concentrated inmost of the early season area. The reasons for this are many, including:population density, housing structures, and lack of storm shelters. Texasactually has the most deaths of any state, because it is the largest of thewarm-weather states.