Most People Don’t Know About Indiana’s Deadly Tornado Alley
By Tori Jane|Published April 01, 2023
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
If you ask someone where “tornado alley” is, chances are they’re going to mention the same few states: Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska… states like those. Severe weather season is typically assumed to be during the spring, and it is – for most. But did you know Indiana is no stranger to tornadoes itself? Nope – in fact, tornadoes in Indiana, though uncommon, still happen annually, and it isn’t usually during the “traditional” tornado season other states might experience. Instead, as the year progresses and spring transitions into summer, it’s showtime for severe weather season in Indiana and the surrounding Midwest. While you might encounter lots more tornadoes in “tornado alley” further south during the spring, tornadoes in Indiana are more likely to occur later in the year. Let’s take a look at some fascinating statistics and figures for the Hoosier State’s later-than-average tornado season.
Note: The photos in this article are for illustrative purposes. They depict storms all over tornado alley, though we did use photos from Indiana whenever possible.
Of course, it's worth mentioning that just because Indiana's tornado alley is more active in the summer months, it doesn't mean they don't happen during spring - in fact, some of the deadliest, most destructive tornadoes in Indiana happened in early spring during large-scale, multi-state outbreaks.
The North American continent is THE place to be if you want to see a tornado (though they do occur around the world, in every place other than Antarctica); each year, there are about 1,200 reported and recorded tornadoes in the United States alone. Of those 1,200 tornadoes, only about 22 of them occur in Indiana.
Indiana has been home to several notable tornado events, but usually, the tornadoes here are brief and certainly not as powerful as they could be (thank goodness).
Some of the Hoosier State's more infamous tornadoes include the gnarly Tri-State Tornado of 1925. It trekked through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana on its path of destruction; then, during the 1974 "Super Outbreak", Indiana experienced an unreal three F5 tornadoes, which are incredibly rare and as violent as they come.
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The chances of experiencing a tornado in any one place around the Hoosier State is pretty darn low - around 1%.
The chances of experiencing a violent tornado in Indiana are even rarer than that. Of course, this doesn't mean we should let our guard down during spring, but we shouldn't let it down during summer, either.
Though tornadoes can and do occur year-round in Indiana, the time in which we're most likely to see some warnings (at the very least) tend to be from mid-May into June and July.
Indiana as a whole is its very own tornado alley, and residents should stay weather-aware always - but during the late spring and early summer most of all.
So, now that tornado season in Indiana is coming sooner than later, what can be done?
Well, we can't do anything about the tornadoes, but we can make sure we're ready and listening for watches and warnings. Almost every tornado has the potential to be fatal, but almost every tornado is survivable given the right precautions.
Know the difference between a watch and a warning. A watch means conditions are right for the formation of a tornado (think cookie dough set out on a baking sheet). A warning, however, means that a tornado is imminent or in progress (like freshly-baked cookies that are about to - or just have - come out of the oven).
Get a weather radio if you don't already have one, and when tornado warnings are broadcast, head to shelter as quickly as possible. You typically have about 10-15 minutes of time.
The safest place to be during a tornado is underground; if you don't happen to have a cellar or basement to shelter in, head to the innermost room of your house (like a bathroom or closet) with no windows. It helps also to anchor yourself to something sturdy, like a bathtub or toilet.
So, what are your thoughts? Have you ever experienced a tornado in Indiana? Tell us about what happened in the comments – your pictures are interesting, too!
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