"Tornado Alley" in the US: why Texas residents have rescue bunkers in their homes

Even the bravest Texas guys in homes can find a rescue bunker. And this is no coincidence, because Texas is on the way to the so-called "tornado alley", and there are more than 100 tornadoes annually. Today we will talk about how Americans actually live in the central states of the country, members of the “Tornado Alley”.

Many people think that life in the USA is full of comfort and prosperity. In fact, in this country there are so many natural disasters every year that it does not agree with a quiet life. For example, Florida and Louisiana often fall victim to powerful tropical hurricanes, California and Nevada suffer from earthquakes, Illinois and Ohio are attacked by snowstorms, and the whole central part of the United States is the site of a huge number of tornadoes. According to statistics, more than 1,200 tornadoes are recorded in the country each year, the main share of which occurs in spring and summer.

Location of "Tornado Alley" in the United States

A tornado is an atmospheric vortex that forms in thunderclouds at the junction of atmospheric fronts, and descends to the surface of the earth. "Tornado Alley", or "Tornado Corridor" is an unofficial term used to denote the territory of the states: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Colorado. It is in this part of North America, located between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian mountain system, that the vast majority of tornadoes are formed not only on the continent, but throughout the globe.

Texas is the absolute record holder for the number of tornadoes generated among all US states, and most whirlwinds occur in the northern part of the state. According to statistics, 139 such natural disasters are recorded here annually, that is, literally every 1-2 days in the warm season, tornadoes occur in one part or another of the state. In this regard, the requirements for residential buildings and other structures in this state are rather stringent. But even they can not resist the powerful tornadoes that destroy houses, turning them into a pile of chips and garbage. For this reason, most sensible Texans have a reliable bunker in their home or garage, where they can hide during tornadoes. There are regular exercises here, so every resident of the state knows what to do if he hears sirens.