Which Country Has Most Tornadoes

A tornado in rural Iowa sweeps dangerously near a farm. Weather storm — © Dan Ross/Dreamstime.com

The United States experiences the near tornadoes of whatever country in the world: more than i,000 per year take been reported every year since 1990 in the U.Due south. This high count of twisters results primarily from the state'south topography, which features a big central core with relatively flat terrain. The region made up of the Slap-up Plains and Mississippi River valley accounts for about 1-third of the country'southward area, and this vast expanse of grasslands and croplands can rut upwardly quickly most times of the year, creating pockets of rising warm air. This region also has admission to moisture from the Gulf of Mexico—and moisture released past the region's vegetation, especially during the hottest days—and libation air from the Upper Neat Plains and Canada. All these factors contribute to the development of frequent outbreaks of severe thunderstorms, many of which can spawn tornadoes.

Nevertheless, the twister count of other large, relatively flat countries with nearby sources of moisture is likely higher than records show; the numbers could be known for sure if Brazil, Russia, and Australia kept ameliorate records. Russia likely experiences many tornadoes, but reports are non available to quantify their occurrence. In addition, nearly 20 tornadoes are reported in Australia each yr, though the actual number is likely much higher. Many storms occur in uninhabited areas, and so any tornadoes that they produce are undocumented.

A version of this reply was originally published on Britannica'southward Beyond.