Storm Season in Oklahoma: Tornadoes and the Destruction They Cause

Posted September 23, 2015

In South Dakota, Texas and Oklahoma, there stretches land that is referred to as Tornado Alley because storms will spawn there with alarming frequency. It’s prone to the perfect weather that causes tornadoes. Residents in Oklahoma should prepare with a tornado emergency plan to keep themselves safe.

Why is Oklahoma Hit by Tornadoes?

Tornado Alley is a region that has a unique air pattern that makes it easier for tornadoes to form. A tornado forms when warm, moist air and cool, dry air meet in storm conditions. Many tornadoes form from thunderstorms. The storm becomes a trigger that causes the warm air and the cold air to rotate counterclockwise. The warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the dry air from Arizona meets the cool air from Canada to produce many of the tornadoes in Tornado Alley.

What Makes Tornadoes so Dangerous?

Tornadoes range in intensity from a tornado that will knock down tree limbs like any other severely windy storm to one that will rip a home directly off its foundation. The strong winds in a tornado are what does most of the initial damage even inside the weak ones, but as the tornado picks up speed and distance, it picks up debris. The debris becomes projectiles that can be as dangerous as the high winds. In most tornadoes, there is hail too. The hail can be small like the size of raindrops, or it can be the size of golf balls.

Damage to Homes and Cars

The winds of a tornado can rip the roof off a home, cause the foundation to shift and snap large tree limbs. Even in the weakest tornado, there’s the possibility of severe damage to homes and cars. The smallest of tree limbs and debris can become projectiles in a small tornado. If a tornado reaches a massive scale, it can rip homes from foundations, overturn cars and rip trees out by the roots. Homes that are well-constructed and solid might be ripped from their foundations. Mobile homes can be lifted and tossed hundreds of feet.

While residents of these areas might have emergency plans to keep themselves from harm, it’s not always easy to prepare your home for a tornado. Unfortunately, a severe tornado will destroy everything in its path. Even a weak tornado can cause serious damage to homes and cars.

Feel free to schedule a free consultation online or call The Bennett Law Firm at 405.272.0303 to discuss your legal options with an experienced Oklahoma City lawyer today. No Recovery, No Fee! We will meet with you face to face and can handle cases anywhere in Oklahoma. We can even come to you!