Tornadoes descend without much warning and for the more than 17 million people who live in the 500,000 square miles known as Tornado Alley, every minute counts. According to the National Weather Service, the average lead time for tornado warnings is around 13 minutes, a significant jump over the last 25 years when residents usually had five minutes or less of a warning.

Here are 10 facts you probably didn't know about tornadoes courtesy of Interstate Restoration and the National Weather Service.

1. Average lead time for a tornado warning – 13 minutes

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