Tornado Alley

Is Iowa really in tornado alley? It is a great and very common question we get at the Channel 13 weather office.

It is true. The most severe weather in the country typically has a target over Oklahoma to Kansas to Missouri and Nebraska and Iowa. We get the big storms because we are located where the dry and cool air collects and meets with the warm and humid air. It is the ingredients that are needed for tornado cake...and we are sometimes the frosting on that severe offering from Mother Nature.

Last night Kirksville, Missouri was the end zone for tornado touchdowns. 3 people lost their lives in that northern area of the Show-Me state. http://www.weather.com/newscenter/topstories/todayinweather.html?from=hp_news1#stormaftermath0514

The Weather Channel has some amazing video from a storm chaser that was in the middle of that tornado. The link above is to the storm story of Kirksville.

It is amazing to see the chaser...named "Tornado Tim"... sit in his car and have huge debris thrown on to his car. His windshield wiper was snapped off.

We have great weather today... another chance for strong to severe storms. Those storms should not hit until later in the day. The weekend is still looking fabulous.

Have a great one... living in tornado alley.