why are the plains so subject to tornadoes and hard core storms in general?

Question

Kansas and its surroundings are again getting pounded with severe weather (hail storms, major flooding, tornadoes) for about the third or fourth time this spring; why is this part of the country so susceptible to such weather patterns? Is it the terrain that allows it, or does the location in the middle of the country happen to be the ideal place such that the necessary wind patterns required for these types of storms can take shape?

sorry- meant to say wind patterns and atmospheric conditions in general!

Answer 1

The central states get many tornadoes because of the geography of North America. (Gulf of Mexico and Rocky Mountains)
For good violent thunderstorms you need warm, moist air near the ground and dry air between the altitudes of three and 10 kilometers. Storms that produce strong tornadoes happen when the horizontal winds increase in speed and change with increasing altitude. (the supercells with rotating thunderstorms). Winds come from the Gulf of Mexico, bringing in warm, moist air at the surface, and the winds above come from over the Rocky Mountains are quite dry. (wind loose moisture on other side of mtn so is now dry). These two winds meeting and cause the area to have the right combination to produce the the vertical temperatures and moisture to produce tornadoes. No other area in the world has this exact combination!

Answer 2

They are caught between cold Canadian Masses of air and Tropical air from the Gulf. There aren't any moutains to block the air flow or bodies of water to temper the masses. They are just where the cold and warm come together