Do tornadoes form most of the time on open plains? Why?

Question

I'm just interested in this topic.

Answer 1

Tornadoes form more readily over flat terrain because wind movement tends to be parallel to the ground.  Irregular terrain such as mountains cause currents that move up and over and destabilize the formation of the vortex.

Answer 2

Not necessarily. Yes, tornadoes frequently form in the Great Plains in the United States, but that is because of the climate of the Great Plains. The Great Plains are just located in an area where tornadoes are likely to form. When the warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and the dry, cool air from Canada meet in the Great Plains states, tornadoes form.  Take Canada for example. It is covered with plains, but because of their cold climate, there are never any tornadoes. Therefore, we can come to a conclusion that tornadoes form in the Great Plains because of where they are located, and that plains in general aren't the main home to tornadoes.

I hope this helps! I'm only 13, but I want to be a meteorologist someday. I need all the help I can get! Any other weather questions I will be happy to answer :)

Answer 3

Tornadoes can form just about anywhere. They might seem to occur more often in the plains just because more storms tend to form there which can lead to more tornadoes.