Does Tornado Alley now include Houston? 🌪️

HOUSTON – I got a good question from Bill Herbert, who shared a bit of his story:

“My family and I moved down here 60 years ago to escape Tornado Alley on the Arkansas/Oklahoma border and all the severe weather. You should do a story on why that tornado belt seems to have dropped south! Thanks for the awesome job!”

First off, thank you, Bill, for the kind words and for sharing your family’s journey! I think a lot of us still picture the bullseye of Tornado Alley as Oklahoma and the surrounding states, but you’re absolutely right; things have changed.

Tornado Trends

According to a report published in the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology’s April 2024 issue, since 1951 tornado activity has been moving away from the Great Plains and toward the Midwestern and Southeast U.S. It’s a fascinating trend and one worth diving into.

What really jumps out is that, when you zoom in on the Houston area, the number of favorable tornado days has actually been lower in recent years. But here’s the thing, that graphic only goes up to 2022.

Since then, southeast Texas has seen a dramatic uptick. In 2023 and 2024 alone, we’ve had 15 tornadoes in our area. So, when this data gets updated, it’s very likely Houston will officially land within Tornado Alley!

To put it in perspective, take a look at the next graphic. It shows the number of tornado watches issued in 2024. See those deep red areas? They indicate 10 or more tornado watches, and yes—Houston made the list this year.

When tornadoes occur in Houston:

Did you know our tornado season here in southeast Texas happens in the winter? It’s a bit different from the Central U.S., where most tornadoes strike in the spring.

The reason we see winter tornadoes comes down to our temperatures and humidity. Over the past two years, our winters have been unusually warm and humid. Just this past Saturday, the high hit 80°!

When that warm, muggy air clashes with the cold, dry air moving through the central U.S., it creates the perfect setup for severe weather. Tornadoes form because of this sharp contrast and a change in wind with height.

In the graphic below, the red arrows represent warm and humid surface winds pushing north, while the blue arrows show cool and dry upper-level winds moving south. That change in wind direction with height creates a spin in the atmosphere and sometimes, that spin reaches the ground as a tornado.

We are now in tornado alley

Tornadoes aren’t exactly rare in southeast Texas, but getting an outbreak of 11 tornadoes in just three days? That’s something else entirely.

What really fascinates me is how closely the tornado reports line up with the climatology for this time of year; it’s almost spot on!

Here’s the thing: as long as we keep having these warm, humid winters, we will see more of these tornado outbreaks when cold air starts pushing through. It’s a pattern that’s hard to ignore, and it’s definitely something I’ll be watching closely.

What this means for us

We’re living in a changing climate, and it’s hard not to notice how much more extreme weather we’re experiencing worldwide, from floods, fires, droughts, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

2024 alone, has been especially challenging in Houston. From intense windstorms to Beryl, and last week’s deadly tornadoes, it’s been one tough hit after another. These events have disrupted our lives in big ways, not to mention the strain they’ve put on our insurance bills.

But honestly, what I’m most concerned about is you. When severe weather is on the horizon, I want to make sure you’re ready. Please, take a moment to turn on KPRC 2 TV, check out Click2Houston.com, and make sure you have our app. These are the tools that can give you the life-saving information you need to make smart decisions and keep your family safe when the weather turns dangerous.

You matter, and staying informed is one of the best ways to protect what’s most important.