Paw Paw Festus
Borger TX
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Joined: 03/08/2009
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I've seen a map of the US and its tornado alleys. I believe it showed 9 alleys.
Theres one as far north as Chicago. Theres one that crosses Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Theres one north to south in Florida
The Red river alley is one that runs east and west from Ark through Oklahoma into Texas. The west end of that one covers Amarillo. Theres another one that runs diagnal across Nebraska and Kansas down through the OK panhandle and into the Texas Panhandle. The SouthWest end of that one also covers Amarillo. I can't remeber where the others are, but I seem to remember one more in the Dakotas.
I've not seen a map like that one before or since. And its been a while. But like what was stated above, tornados don't know they're supposed to stay in their alleys. I witnessed one in Delaware City Delaware about 20 years ago. Locals said that was the only one they'd ever had.
Nana and Paw Paw
2009 6.4 PSD Lariat 4X4 Dually Looong bed
2009 Sandpiper 355QBQ Quad Slide - Quad Bunks with pull out Trundles.
All 6 grandkids have their own bed. The goofy little dog sleeps with us in our KING SIZE MASTER! Life is good...
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CharlesOK
Edmond, OK
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Joined: 12/20/2005
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Yes there can be tornados in Oklahoma and some might even happen in the I-35 corridor which runs from Dallas, TX through Oklahoma to Wichita, KS. There is a good reason the US Severe storm center is located along I-35 in Norman ,OK. That being said, your fear is not well founded, and should not stop you from traversing OK any old time you wish, especially in the Fall or in the Spring, before the end of March. I think I can say this with some certainty, since I have lived in Oklahoma now for over twenty years and have NEVER seen a tornado except on TV. The local radars and TV stations here provide the best warning that money can buy, so much so it becomes annoying sometimes. Look for parks that have tornado shelters if your really concerned, but IMHO, your much more at risk every day on the road than your likely to experience a tornado. Worst tornado in US history was in Xenia, OH many years ago. Make the trip and don't be concerned.
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tatest
Oklahoma
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Joined: 05/14/2005
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The warning, that day, was about the broad area from I-35 on the west to the Arkansas state line. The next day, the system was in the area from central Arkansas to Memphis; in the evening it went through Nashville.
No guidelines. All year round, from the Rockies to Atlantic coast, these storm systems get generated when cold air from the north pushes into warmer, humid air, moving west to east in lobes reaching down from the Arctic circle. In summer, the mixing zone tends to be from Nebraska - Iowa - Ohio Valley north to the Great Lakes; in late winter the cold air pushes all the way down to the Gulf Coast sending storms through south central Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
Temperature difference drives the storms. Warmer temperatures, greater contrasts, more energy. Colder temperatures, might be blizzards instead of rains and rotating winds.
For planning a move, watch the 4 to 7 day forecasts. The systems are about that length of time apart, you make you move just after the system comes through the place you are, and keep running until the next one catches up with you, then you hunker down again for a day or two.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
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tatest
Oklahoma
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Been 27 of the last 29 years in Oklahoma, have not yet seen a tornado here, because when the warning siren comes on I'm in hiding.
I lived two years in central Florida and saw three tornadoes, the warning system wasn't so good back then, and I was caught outside.
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John&Joey
Northern MN
(Baby it's cold outside)
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tatest wrote:...For planning a move, watch the 4 to 7 day forecasts. The systems are about that length of time apart, you make you move just after the system comes through the place you are, and keep running until the next one catches up with you, then you hunker down again for a day or two.
That's exactly what we ended up doing. We hunker down in El Dorado at Deer Grove for three nights (great place to sit tight.) Frustrating since I wanted to get someplace warm and not watch the days come off the calendar. On the fourth day we had nothing but sun and light winds. We put on the miles that day.
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wny_pat
Western NYS
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skipnchar wrote:but they're actually pretty RARE at least from November through February. Now you got my attention - what part of February? At least we will have the weather radio with us.
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