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Four remarkable things about the Plains tornado outbreak

The National Weather Service received over 140 tornado reports between Thursday and Sunday

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Updated April 29, 2024 at 6:41 p.m. EDT|Published April 29, 2024 at 1:54 p.m. EDT
A series of massive tornadoes moved through the central U.S. on April 26, destroying communities in Iowa and Nebraska. (Video: The Washington Post)
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After four hellacious, destructive days, the onslaught of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that clobbered the American Great Plains is pausing. Storms broke out Thursday and were followed by back-to-back high-end tornado outbreaks Friday and Saturday. More severe storms hit Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas on Sunday.

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While tornadoes can happen at any time, spring brings the highest risk for the severe storms. April, May and June are, historically, the most active, with an average of 660 twisters a year in those months. The United States is more vulnerable to tornadoes than any other country, with an average of 1,150 to 1,200 a year.
What causes tornadoes?
The two primary ingredients are heat energy and turning winds: When warm, humid air meets wind shear, the resulting storm can sometimes twist into a tornado. Scientists say when the Gulf of Mexico is warmer than normal, it can make tornadoes worse. New research also suggests that climate change may be intensifying tornadoes at certain times of the year — as temperatures rise, more fuel is available for severe storms.
What is Tornado Alley?
Many people think that tornadoes are most common in the Great Plains, including the vertical stretch of states from Texas through Kansas and Nebraska. But your greatest risk of encountering a tornado is actually in the South — which is why some experts say the term “tornado alley” is misleading.
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Friday’s outbreak of twisters in eastern Nebraska and Iowa killed one person, and at least four people died in Oklahoma on Saturday night. The pair of outbreaks demolished neighborhoods and left communities forever altered.