Tornadoes have affected every state in the USA, although some more than others and, as history shows us, even metropolitan areas, hills, rivers or lakes are not immune to twisters.

Each year, the U.S. has about 1,500 tornadoes on average, more than any other country in the world. A large percentage of these tornadoes occur in "Tornado Alley," where the ingredients for tornadoes come together most often.

Each year storm chasers forecast and intercept severe warned supercells that can and do produce tornadoes.  While every storm chaser actually pursues severe weather for his or her own reasons, we all have a common bond between us - we're out there to help warning meteorologist and provide them with ground-truth information about what a storm is doing so that they can better serve the public with more accurate and timely storm and tornado warnings.  

Tornadoes cause the fastest wind speeds on Earth and are measured using the Enhanced Fujuita Scale, known as the "EF Scale".   This scale measures the destructive power of tornadoes by the type and amount of damage they cause.  The weakest tornadoes are recorded as EF-0 and the strongest being an EF-5.  The May 3rd, 1999 tornado that struck the Oklahoma City metro area and the May 4th, 2007 tornado that struck Greensburg, KS were both measured at the top of the scale.   

No state is 100 percent immune from a possible tornado, but those states at most risk range throughout the central portion of the United States as well as the lower southeastern states along the Gulf Coast.  Learning how to react during a tornado warning and knowing the proper steps that you should take in advance can save your life.   Your family should have a tornado emergency plan that involves how to properly shelter-in-place, or evacuate if there is time.  You should rehearse these plans with your family every year so that everyone knows exactly what to do if needed.  You should also own and know how to properly operate a NOAA Weather All-Hazards Radio, which can immediately warn you and your family of any immenient weather dangers in your area.

The links below will help you plan for a tornado and then react in a safe way when one threatens, if one hits, and after a tornado.

• The Enhanced Fujuita Scale (Storm Predication Center) 
• FEMA: Tornado
• NOAA Weather Radio
• National Severe Storms Laboratory - Tornado Education