A HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL COMPARISON OF 'TORNADO ALLEY' TO 'DIXIE ALLEY'

摘要

The media and public frequently use the term "tornado alley," an unofficial term which is used to describe various parts of the United States that are perceived to have a high incidence of tornado occurrence. This paper examined the history of the term "Tornado Alley," as well as the lesser known term "Dixie Alley." A basic statistical analysis of the temporal and spatial occurrence of tornadoes and tornado-related casualties was done in each of these areas, both long term and in the recent years following the modernization of the National Weather Service.