Tornado Alley

English

Etymology

From tornado +‎ alley. Coined in 1952 by U.S. Air Force meteorologists Ernest J. Fawbush and Robert C. Miller.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˌtɔː(ɹ)ˈneɪdəʊ ˈælɪ/

Proper noun

Tornado Alley

2. (US, meteorology) A region of the United States, located in the middle of the country, where tornadoes are particularly frequent and intense.

Usage notes

• Depending on the authority, the Tornado Alley may extend into Canada, into the U.S. Midwest, and reach the Gulf of Mexico coast. For those varieties that reach the Gulf coast, the Dixie Alley is a subregion of Tornado Alley, instead of a separate region of tornadic activity. Similarly for those that reach the Midwest and Great Lakes, the Hoosier Alley is a subregion, instead of a separate region.

Derived terms

• Carolina Alley
• Dixie Alley
• Hoosier Alley
• South Alley

 

See also

• Hailstorm Alley
• Hurricane Alley
• Typhoon Alley

 

Further reading

• Tornado Alley on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Tornado Alley on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons