Dallas area - General Tornado Info - Post your questions/answers here! (Austin: live, statistics)

[ericeric]

I searched for a while and tried to get some knowledge.

Looks like there are more than 700 tornadoes each year in big D. But 1 of 50 are big ones >EF4. That means there are at least 14 very big Tornadoes in Dallas area?

Is that true? What's your real experiences?


Mod Note: See Correction posted in #9:

Sorry, I didn't read carefully on the links I searched. just clarify:
"Most likely about 700 tornado affect tornado alley each year."

[First24]

Originally Posted by ericeric

I searched for a while and tried to get some knowledge.

Looks like there are more than 700 tornadoes each year in big D. But 1 of 50 are big ones >EF4. That means there are at least 14 very big Tornadoes in Dallas area?

Is that true? What's your real experiences?

What's the source for your stats?

Since records have been kept from 1952 to 2011, there have been a total of 86 tornadoes officially reported in Dallas County.

Tornado History Project: Maps and Statistics

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by Scout_972

What's the source for your stats?

Since records have been kept from 1952 to 2011, there have been a total of 86 tornadoes officially reported in Dallas County.

Tornado History Project: Maps and Statistics

We really only get tornadoes very rarely, and the big ones are SO rare! Central Texas (such as Bell County) sees a lot more big tornadoes than DFW area.

[nakold23]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

We really only get tornadoes very rarely, and the big ones are SO rare! Central Texas (such as Bell County) sees a lot more big tornadoes than DFW area.

Every year there will be storms that produce tornado warnings. It is not uncommon to get wind, rain, and hail in thunderstorms here. A couple times a year the tornado sirens go off because there is a potential for tornado development but they are RARE. Although there is at least 1 or 2 in most DFW counties each year, they are usually WEAK and hit very localized spots. The chances you will come face to face with a tornado in your lifetime are still exponentially slim.

Hail and damaging winds are a whole different story, however.

[First24]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

We really only get tornadoes very rarely, and the big ones are SO rare! Central Texas (such as Bell County) sees a lot more big tornadoes than DFW area.

I'm surprised there have been only 14 tornado related deaths in Dallas County since 1952. 10 of those occurred in the outbreak of 1957. Only 4 deaths from 1957-2012.

Considering DFW is located within the southern boundary of Tornado Alley, Dallas County has been relatively fortunate.

Let's hope we can remain out of harm's way.

[mysterymachinebl]

Originally Posted by ericeric

I searched for a while and tried to get some knowledge.

Looks like there are more than 700 tornadoes each year in big D. But 1 of 50 are big ones >EF4. That means there are at least 14 very big Tornadoes in Dallas area?

Is that true? What's your real experiences?

700 tornadoes a year?! Where are you getting that information??? The average for the whole state is only 155.

Tornado Climatology

[Newbe10]

Originally Posted by ericeric

I searched for a while and tried to get some knowledge.

Looks like there are more than 700 tornadoes each year in big D. But 1 of 50 are big ones >EF4. That means there are at least 14 very big Tornadoes in Dallas area?

Is that true? What's your real experiences?

700 Tornadoes in Dallas??? Not likely. That is probably the yearly average for the entire U.S. In the two years I have lived here, the event last Tuesday was the first instance of any Tornadoes in DFW area (unless there are a few that I don't know about).

In 2011, all of those horrible outbreaks missed us well to the east in the Deep South and to the north in Oklahoma and MO. There were a few supercell storms near Terrell, Corsicana, Hillsboro and Canton, but the touchdowns were brief with very little damage.

I have heard from many locals here that tornadoes just don't occur that often and based on what I have seen so far, I' am inclined to believe them.

[Newbe10]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

We really only get tornadoes very rarely, and the big ones are SO rare! Central Texas (such as Bell County) sees a lot more big tornadoes than DFW area.

The only big Tornado in Bell County or in Central Texas that I know of is the monster one that hit Jarell, and one that hit the suburb of Cedar Park near Austin. I do know that Central and South Texas have a much lesser chance of seeing a tornado than Dallas does.

[ericeric]

Sorry, I didn't read carefully on the links I searched. just clarify:
"Most likely about 700 tornado affect tornado alley each year."

[ericeric]

Originally Posted by mysterymachinebl

700 tornadoes a year?! Where are you getting that information??? The average for the whole state is only 155.

Tornado Climatology

Thanks. That link is helpful.

But then how many big Tornadoes every year in Big D?