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
2. Most active months for tornadoes
- April
- May
- June
- July
3. Average number of tornadoes a year in the U.S. – 1,179*
2014 – 930 (as of 10/1/14)
2013 – 908
2012 – 939
2011 – 1691
*Three-year average, NOAA.
The U.S. has more tornadoes than any other country. Canada has about 100 tornadoes a year and they also occur in northern Europe, western Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh, China, South Africa and Argentina.
4. Tornadoes can occur at any time during the day, but are most likely to develop between 4-9 p.m.
5. The average width of a tornado is 50 yards – about half the length of a football field
6. The median path length of a tornado is just under a mile, but it can stay on the ground and travel as far as 50 miles.
7. Tornado severity is ranked by the Enhanced Fujita Scale based on the estimated wind strength (gusts).
EF0 – 65-85 mph
EF1 – 86-110 mph
EF2 – 111-135
EF3 – 136-165
EF4 – 166-200
EF5 – 200+
8. The average yearly cost for tornado damage was $7.78 billion between 1993 and 2012 for severe thunderstorm events, including tornadoes, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average cost of property damage caused by tornadoes is $1.1 billion.
9. Tornadoes cause an average of 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries in the U.S. each year.
10. The 10 costliest tornadoes since 1950:
1. Joplin, Mo. (2011)
2. Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2011)
3. Topeka, Kan (1966)
4. Lubbock, Texas (1970)
5. Oklahoma City, Okla. (1999)
6. Hackleburg, Ala. (2011)
7. Xenia, Ohio (1974)
8. Omaha, Neb. (1975)
9. Wichita Falls, Texas (1979)
10. Grand Island, Neb. (1980)
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