tornado in field

Tornadoes 101: The Basics

Texas is one of the most sought-after states to live in America due to its good value housing, great school districts, and various spectacular landscapes. With so many cities, each with their distinctly rich histories, there’s nothing you won’t find in this red state.

The state enjoys varied weather, from humid in the east and arid in the west—meaning you’ll experience all four seasons in their glory! But Texas isn’t without its natural disasters. Weather reports show that an average of 132 tornadoes touch the Texas soil each year, with 140 to 150 tornadoes in Dallas and many in Fort Worth.

Tornadoes pose a serious threat to life and property. From snagging pole wires and destroying barns to damaging roofs and uprooting trees, tornadoes can manifest a range of potentially life-threatening risks to Texas residents.

Let’s delve deeper into tornado statistics of Dallas and Fort Worth and how the residents of these areas can stay protected against this natural disaster.

What Are Tornadoes And How Do They Come About?

Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that originate from thunderstorms and extend to the ground. Violent tornadoes that go up to 300 mph are capable of tremendous destruction.

Tornadoes are formed when moist and warm air combines with dry and cool air to create instability in the atmosphere. As the wind intensity increases and its direction changes, there’s a horizontal spinning effect that eventually forms a tornado.

A few factors that determine the speed and intensity of the tornado include:

  • Atmospheric instability as the dry air overlays the moist air close to the earth’s surface
  • The wind speed
  • Humidity
  • Vertical wind shear

Tornadoes in Texas

Tornadoes occur with great frequency in Texas, giving it the name “the tornado capital.” They may occur in any month, but residents can expect them during the late spring and early summer months.

The greatest outbreak of tornadoes recorded in Texas was in September 1967, called the Hurricane Beulah. Over 115 tornadoes struck the state in five days. On September 20, there was a record-breaking number of 73 tornadoes in a single day!

The second-highest number of tornadoes hit Texas in 1967, with a total of 232 tornadoes occurring in a single year. There was another rare wind tornado outbreak in December of 2006, with 27 tornadoes hitting the state in a day.

What Can Texas Residents Do To Keep Safe?

Despite the increasing threat of tornadoes, Texans are as resilient as ever. With the help of safe rooms and shelters, residents have learned to keep themselves and their loved ones safe during tornadoes for minimal injuries and loss of life.

safe room in texas

US Safe Rooms is the foremost choice for the residents of Dallas and Fort Worth, TX, when it comes to picking out sturdy, strong, durable, and functional safe rooms and tornado shelters.

Our top-quality storm safe rooms are built to comply with standards set by FEMA and the Texas Tech Impact Test.

With a team of highly-specialized engineers, we create tornado safe rooms and storm shelters customized to meet our clients’ requirements so that they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

We also make accessible and wheelchair-friendly tornado shelters to keep you protected against howling winds and flying debris.

Ensure your loved ones’ safety with our premier quality steel tornado shelters in Dallas and Fort Worth, TX. Give us a call at 469-629-6000 to get a free quote right away!

 

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