why do you think there aren't many or any tornadoes in big cities?

Question

I haven't heard about tornadoes wiping away a city filled with skyscrapers or industrial areas or similar like NY or CA or TX or desert areas like las vegas, Nevada...usually areas like the countryside with vast fields? why do you think that's the case? don't look it up.I want to know your current opinions/hypothesis as to why tornadoes are prone in certain areas and not others.thanks.

Answer 1

Cities are not immune to tornadoes.

Lubbock Texas

Wichita Kansas

Wichita Falls Texas

Fort Worth Texas

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Moore, Oklahoma

Memphis Tennessee

Nashville Tennessee

Atlanta Georgia

Birmingham Alabama

Yes, and New York, New York


I remember one skyscraper in Lubbock was twisted from the tornado. I am not sure but believe that one is still standing.

One of the skyscrapers in Fort Worth I believe was vacated after the tornado and was or will be torn down due to the damage from the tornado.

All those cities are fairly good sized. These I can recall having destructive tornadoes in my life time. I know most large cities have had tornadoes I just can't think of them off the top of my head right now.

A tornado has a relatively small width in comparison to a large city. A tornado will not damage an area as large as a big city.
Most tornadoes are less than 1/8 mile wide and only a rare few exceed 1/2 mile in width. Most tornadoes will only have a width of 1 to 3 blocks but path length can be many miles.

Answer 2

The surface area of cities is small - however there are major cities that have been hit by tornados - Fort Worth, TX had a tornado hit the downtown area in May 2000 - it hit a skyscraper - the BankOne building and blew out most of the windows on the west side... Oklahoma City, Moore, and Del City had an F5 hit back in the 90's as well - but really tall buildings may disturb the airflow enough to break up some of the wind flow patterns that create tornados...

Answer 3

it doesn't have anything to do with the buildings. it's just because cities take up such a small area compared to the countryside, so it only seems like they are less likely to be hit. also, most tornadoes occur in the midwest and plains where there aren't that many big cities anyway. besides, just a few months ago a tornado did hit brooklyn (but it wasnt very big news cause it didn't do much damage.

Answer 4

that's not true,please don't believe that.
i believe that tornado alley is where all the weather from everywhere slams into each other...and goes crazy.right smack in the middle.maybe they have learned its not a good idea to put all kind of skyscrapers up there because they will just get blown down anyway.California and new york are far away from the middle.

Answer 5

Because large cities geographicly make up a smaller part of the landmass, so they make up a smaller target then hundreds of square miles of open field.

Tornados have hit Nashville and Cincinnati in the last decade or so.

Answer 6

I think it's because tornadoes are made up of gusts of wind, so with the skyscrapers all around it's hard for such gusts of wind to form, as apposed to farms with open area.

Answer 7

Tornadoes are attracted to trailer parks;-} check the photos!