THE TWO LINKS BELOW CAN BE USEFUL WHEN THERE ARE ONLY A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF TORNADO WARNINGS BUT THEY WILL BE OF LITTLE USE WHEN THERE IS A MAJOR TORNADO OUTBREAK UNLESS YOU KNOW HOW TO USE CONTROL / F TO FIND TEXT ON A PAGE.
--National Weather Service Texts of CURRENT ACTIVE TORNADO WARNINGS

--National Weather Service Texts of Current SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS

CURRENT AND RECENTLY EXPIRED TORNADO WARNINGS
The list in the graphical box below this text area is for basic and quick reference only. There are no links in that graphic so you can't get to any details from it. But the graphic is useful because it shows at a glance both active and very recently expired tornado warnings across the entire US.

The active tornado warnings are generally on top of the expired ones. If on the second line of any of the listings you see any number and then "mins" then that tornado warning is still in effect for that number of minutes. If you see "EXPIRED" in the second line of any of the listings then the tornado warning is no longer in effect.

For details about any warning still in effect, see the following, all of which are at the top of the main home page for Big Tornado Country (just to the left of this sidebar area).

--The instructions for how to quickly get to any current tornado warning (or any other severe weather alert)

--The five severe weather alert maps

--The links to every single applicable National Weather Service Site organized by state and shown under each severe alerts map

Again, you will find all of these extremely useful resources right to the left of this sidebar text area.

INTERACTIVE AND ANIMATED RADAR VIEWS OF BIG TORNADO COUNTRY--NINE DIFFERENT ZOOM LEVELS
Zoom Out Level Five
Zoom Out Level Four
Zoom Out Level Three
Zoom Out Level Two
Zoom Out Level One
MEDIUM ZOOM LEVEL
Zoom In Level One
Zoom In Level Two
Zoom In Level Three
Zoom In Level Four

NEXRAD RADARS--ANIMATED, INTERACTIVE, VARIOUS ZOOMS
DODGE CITY RADAR FULL VIEW
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level One
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level Two
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level Three
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level Four
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level Five
Dodge City Radar Zoom In Level Six
Goodland Radar Full View
Enid Radar Full View
Wichita Radar Full View
Pueblo Radar Full View
Amarillo Radar Full View
Oklahoma City Radar Full View

BIG SNOW COUNTRY The North Country Super Site; Includes Links to Satellite Pages
WEATHER MAX RADAR Large Number of Live Radar Views
WEATHER MAX North America Weather Radar Overview
WORLD WEATHER WATCH International and North American Weather
BIG TORNADO COUNTRY The 24 Hours a Day Tornado Watch Site; Includes Links to Satellite Pages
DEADLY HEAT WAVE COUNTRY Heat Wave Monitor Site; Includes Links to Satellite Pages
MONSTER MAPS Two Huge and Interactive Central North America Highway / Temperature Maps
LABRADOR WEATHER Labrador Weather Maps
HUMBOLDT COUNTY CA WEATHER Humboldt County, California Radar and Weather Links

TORNADO

CLIMATOLOGY

SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS BIG TORNADO COUNTRY Southern Nebraska, all of Kansas, all of Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle, southeast Colorado, east central Colorado, and southwestern Missouri

This is the true Big Tornado Country. Generally, this region has the highest likelihood of big tornadoes and also has a high frequency of tornadoes of any size. Within this large area lies the highest risk area of all. The core of this region is where by far the highest threats of large and very large tornadoes are. Although this area by no means has a monopoly on tornadoes and although there are areas far to the southeast that have about as many tornadoes in total (such as parts of Arkansas) it is this region that has the highest threat of large, very large, and huge tornadoes. Specifically, the core absolute highest threat area is Kansas, Oklahoma, (except for southeast and south central Oklahoma) the Texas panhandle (except for the western 1/3 of that panhandle) and far southeast and east central Colorado within about 75 miles of the Kansas line. South central Nebraska within about 50 miles of the Kansas line must also be included in this highest threat core area.

The peak tornado season of Big Tornado Country is as follows:

--Texas Panhandle: March 25 to May 25
--Southern Kansas, southeast Colorado, and southwestern Missouri: April 10 to June 10
--Northern Kansas and east central Colorado: April 20 to June 15
--Southern Nebraska: April 25 to June 20 The absolute peak times are in the middle of those time ranges.

WEATHER SERVICES OFFICES IN THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS:
Dodge City KS, southwest and south central Kansas

Dodge City KS Hazardous Weather Outlook

Goodland, KS: northwest and north central Kansas and east central and northeast Colorado

Wichita KS: south central, central, and southeastern Kansas

Pueblo CO: southeast and east central Colorado

Amarillo TX: Texas panhandle

Lubbock TX: southern Texas panhandle and west Texas

Oklahoma City OK: western and central Oklahoma

Tulsa OK: eastern Oklahoma

Springfield, Missouri: southwestern and south central Missouri

Topeka, KS: most of northeastern and north central Kansas

Kansas City Missouri: far northeastern and far east central Kansas (and northwestern and west central Missouri of the Midwest Region)

Omaha NE: southeastern Nebraska and Western Iowa of the Midwest Region

Hastings NE: south central Nebraska and north central, Kansas North Platte NE, southwest and south central Nebraska

TEXAS TORNADO REGION
Texas except for the following:
-except for far west central Texas and the panhandle which are in the Southern High Plains Big Tornado Country region (Lubbock and Amarillo offices)
-except for far west Texas from 25 miles west of Odessa to El Paso where tornados are rare
-except for far south Texas from between Austin and San Antonio and south where tornados are rare
-except for far northeastern Texas which is in the Middle South Tornado Region (Shreveport office)

WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE TEXAS REGION
Midland-Odessa: west and far west Texas

San Angelo: west Texas

Dallas-Fort Worth: central and north central Texas

Austin-San Antonio: southern Texas

Houston: eastern and southeastern Texas

MID SOUTHERN TORNADO REGION
Far southeastern Missouri, Arkansas, northeastern Texas, northern Louisiana, western and central Tennessee, northern and central Mississippi, northern and central Alabama

The risk of large tornadoes is smaller here than it is in Big Tornado Country, but it is larger than in any of the other regions and the risk is by no means small here. Although the risk of big tornadoes is less here than out on the high plains, the total number of tornadoes is only slightly less here per square mile than in Big Tornado Country out on the high plains. So most but not all of the relatively large number of tornadoes that occur in this area are small and short lasting ones.

In general, in the far south of this region, in areas that are closest to the Gulf of Mexico, the percentage of tornadoes that are small and short is greater than in the central and north of this region. In other words, the closer to the Gulf of Mexico, the smaller the average size tornado and the shorter-lived the tornado is on average.

In the mid-Southern region, the primary tornado season is very late February through May 20. The absolute peak ranges from about April 1 in northern Louisiana and central Mississippi and central Alabama to about May 1 in northern Arkansas and northern Tennessee. A secondary peak in this region is from mid October to mid November. This is the one and only region that has a relatively high frequency of fall tornadoes, but the number of fall tornadoes even here is much fewer than the number of spring tornadoes.

WEATHER SERVICES OFFICES IN THE MID SOUTHERN REGION:
Shreveport, Louisiana: northeastern Texas, southwestern Arkansas, and northwestern and north central Louisiana

Little Rock, Arkansas: most of Arkansas

Memphis: eastern Arkansas, far southeastern Missouri, western Tennessee, and northern Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi: most of Mississippi, southeastern Arkansas, and northeastern Louisiana

Nashville: central and into eastern Tennessee

Huntsville: northern Alabama and south central Tennessee

Birmingham, AL: central and northern Alabama

DEEP SOUTH TORNADO REGION
Far southeastern Texas, central and southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, far southern Georgia, and northern Florida from the Panhandle to about 25 miles north of Orlando

The number of tornadoes here is relatively high compared to the other tornado regions (except for the High Plains) but this area has very few large and long lasting tornadoes. Virtually all tornado damage here is done by short and small tornadoes. Hurricane tornadoes occur in this area, which like most of the other ones are short and small. The peak season is winter and early spring, from December 15 through March 15. The secondary peak roughly coincides with the latter half of the hurricane season, from September 1 through November 15. But not all fall tornadoes are hurricane-related. There really is no absolute peak in this region; tornadoes are about equally likely through the peak season.

WEATHER SERVICES OFFICES IN THE DEEP SOUTH REGION:
Lake Charles, LA: far southeastern Texas and central and south central Louisiana

Baton Rouge-New Orleans, Louisiana: southeastern Louisiana

Mobile: southern Alabama

Tallahassee: Florida panhandle, southeastern Alabama, and southwestern Georgia

Jacksonville, northern Florida and southeastern Georgia

SOUTHEAST TORNADO REGION
North Carolina except for the mountainous far west where tornadoes are rare, South Carolina and Georgia except for far south Georgia (the area beginning 100 miles south of Macon)

The number of tornadoes here is significantly fewer than to the west in the mid-Southern Region and is fewer than to the southwest in the deep South Region. In the southeast the size of tornadoes average out to be a little smaller still than those of the deep South region. The size of most tornadoes is small and almost all tornadoes do not last long. So in short this area is relatively lightly affected by tornadoes.

The peak season for tornadoes in this region is February 20 to April 30 for Georgia and southern and central South Carolina and March 15 to May 15 for northern South Carolina and for North Carolina.

WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE SOUTHEAST REGION
Atlanta: northern and central Georgia

Charleston, SC: southern South Carolina and southeastern Georgia

Wilmington, NC: southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina

Columbia, SC: northern and central South Carolina

Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: Northwestern South Carolina and Western North Carolina including Charlotte area

Raleigh, NC: Central North Carolina including Winston-Salem, Roanoke Rapids, Goldsboro and Fayetteville

Morehead City, NC: Far Eastern North Carolina

MIDWEST TORNADO REGION
Southwest WI, far southern Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri except the southwest and the far southeast, Illinois except for the Chicago area and northeast Illinois, central and southern Indiana, southwest Ohio, and central and western Kentucky.

This region has a small but non-trivial risk of a big tornado every year, and has far fewer tornadoes than on the high plains and than in the south, but nevertheless has a substantial number of mostly smaller tornadoes. The primary tornado season in this region is as follows:

Central and western Kentucky: April 1 to June 1

Southwest Ohio, central and southern Indiana, central and southern Illinois, Missouri: April 15 to June 15

Southern Iowa: April 20 to June 10

Far southern Minnesota, Northern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin, Northern Illinois (not including northeast Illinois): May 10 to June 20.

WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE MIDWEST REGION
Minnesota: far southern Minnesota

La Crosse, WI: southwestern Wisconsin

Des Moines, Iowa: most of Iowa

Quad Cities, Iowa--Illinois: eastern Iowa, western Illinois

Chicago: northern Illinois

Central Illinois

St. Louis: eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois

Kansas City: west central, northwestern, and north central Missouri

Paducah, Kentucky: northwestern Tennessee, southeastern Missouri, western Kentucky, far southern Illinois, southwestern Indiana

Indianapolis: central and southern Indiana

Louisville, KY: far southern Indiana and north central, central and south central Kentucky

Columbus / Cincinnati Ohio: southwestern Ohio

MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN TORNADO REGION
Tornado climatology in Minnesota and Wisconsin is actually a little tricky and the tornado threat has increased a little due to global warming.

Prior to global warming tornadoes were very rare in most of central and all of northern Minnesota and in all of Wisconsin except for the far southwest. Tornados used to be extremely rare in north central and northeast Minnesota and in northern Wisconsin. Due to global warming tornadoes are now a little less rare in the more western and southern areas of both northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, but still rare. In both states, the threat increases from east to west and from north to south. In both northeast Minnesota and in most of northeast Wisconsin, the tornado threat remains extremely small.

Except for southwestern and to some extent west central Minnesota, the vast majority of tornadoes in Minnesota and Wisconsin are very small.

Let's divide Minnesota into six segments and Wisconsin into four segments:

--NORTHWEST MINNESOTA: Here there is a very short season and tornados are still rare but not as rare as they used to be years ago. Most years will come and go with very little tornado threat anytime during the year. As in all other parts of Minnesota, any threat increases to the west and to the south. Any tornado that does occur will most likely be very small. The most likely time for tornados here is between about June 5 and about June 25 (a very short peak season).

--NORTHEAST MINNESOTA: Despite global warming tornados remain very rare in northeast Minnesota, particularly within 50 miles of Lake Superior. As in all other parts of Minnesota, any threat increases to the west and to the south. The season is extremely short and almost all tornados will be very small. The most likely time for tornados here is between about June 10 and about June 25 (an extremely short peak season).

--WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA: Here there is a short season and tornadoes are fairly rare. But there is great variability. Some years will be completely free of any threat, but at the other extreme, in some years there will be a tornado outbreak, most likely in the month of June. As in all other parts of Minnesota, any threat increases to the west and to the south. Most but not all tornados will be very small. The most likely time for tornados here is between about June 1 and about June 25.

--EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA including Twin Cities: Here there is a very short season and tornados are rare but possible. As in all other parts of Minnesota, any threat increases to the west and to the south. The most likely time for tornados here is between about June 5 and about June 25, (a very short peak season). Any tornados in this area are very likely to be small ones.

--SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA: Here there is a relatively short season but it is several weeks longer than in the other areas of Minnesota. Although tornados are substantially less common here than in areas farther south and southwest, they are much more common in this area than in any of the other five areas of Minnesota. . The most likely time for tornados here is between about May 25 and about June 25.

--SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA: Here there is a relatively short season but the overall season is a few weeks longer than in the central and north of Minnesota. Tornados are fairly rare; some years will be completely free of any threat, but very roughly speaking once every 10 years there can be an outbreak of a few, generally very small tornados. As in all other parts of Minnesota, any threat increases to the west and to the south, The most likely time for tornados here is between about May 25 and about June 25.

--NORTHWEST WISCONSIN: Tornados remain rare and the season is very short. Most tornadoes here will be very small. Within this area, the threat is a little greater in the west and in the south. There won't be any tornados in many years. In years when there are tornados, the peak season is between about June 5 and about June 25 (a very short peak season).

--NORTHEAST WISCONSIN: Tornados remain very rare and the season is extremely short. Virtually all tornadoes here will be very small. Within this area, the threat is a little greater in the west and in the south. There won't be any tornados in most years. In years when there are tornados, the peak season is between about June 10 and about June 25 (an extremely short peak season).

--SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN: Here there is a short season. Tornados are fairly rare; some years will be completely free of any threat, but very roughly speaking once every 10 years there can be an outbreak of a few, generally very small tornados. Within this area, the threat is a little greater in the west and in the south. The most likely time for tornados here is between about May 25 and about June 25.

--SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN: Tornados remain rare and the season is very short. Most tornadoes here will be very small. Within this area, the threat is a little greater in the west and in the south. There won't be any tornados in many years. In years when there are tornados, the peak season is between about June 1 and about June 25 (a very short peak season).

WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES IN THE MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN TORNADO REGION
Twin Cities: central and southern Minnesota

La Crosse, WI: southeastern Minnesota, southwestern Wisconsin, and northeastern Iowa

Milwaukee / Madison, Wisconsin: southern Wisconsin

NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS TORNADO REGION
Southeastern Montana, far eastern Wyoming, southern North Dakota, South Dakota except for the Black Hills and surrounding areas where tornadoes are rare, Nebraska except for southern Nebraska which is put in the Southern High Plains region, and southwestern Minnesota

The percentage of all tornadoes that are large is higher here than in all of the other regions except for the Southern High Plains region. When tornadoes form, they are unusually likely to be large. But overall, the annual probability of a big tornado here is still low because the tornado season is short and because the actual frequency of tornadoes, even in the peak season, is relatively small. The peak season is from May 15 until the end of June.

WEATHER SERVICES OFFICES IN THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS REGION
Aberdeen, South Dakota: south central and southeastern North Dakota and South Dakota except for the west and the far south of South Dakota

Bismarck, North Dakota: southwestern and south central North Dakota

Rapid City, SD: southeastern Montana, western South Dakota

Cheyenne, Wyoming: eastern WY, far western Nebraska

North Platte: western but not far western Nebraska, north central Nebraska, and west central Nebraska (and it covers the higher risk southwest Nebraska area)

Hastings: central Nebraska (and it covers the higher risk south central Nebraska area)

Omaha: east central and northeast Nebraska (and it covers the higher risk southeast Nebraska area

Sioux Falls, South Dakota: east central and southeastern South Dakota

THE BIG SNOW COUNTRY FAMILY OF TOTAL WEATHER INFORMATION PAGES-A QUICK USER GUIDE
Big Snow Country: This is the main page of this family of sites. This page gives you every possible detail about the weather in the beautiful area known as "Big Snow Country," where the summers are as pleasant as can be, and where the snows of winter create a legendary wonderland. There is no other place on Earth that has as much "northern spirit and soul."

On this page, you will find weather forecasts in detail, current temperatures, past 24 hours temperatures, animated radar images, satellite images, snow depths, climatology, Laker Superior temperatures, road conditions, and more, for the exotic area known as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the "UP". This is the ultimate weather resource for the UP, and to some extent contiguous areas such as Northern Wisconsin. From this amazing page, you can find out about more than the weather and the snow. You can find out about the people and the events going on in Big Snow Country, by using the links to the various community theme sites that are also part of the Big Snow Country family of sites. If you have any interest in this hauntingly beautiful, enchanted region, this site is an absolute must.

World Weather Watch: By a wide margin, this is the best place to go on the whole internet to find out what the temperatures are now, and what the temperatures have been in the last day or so, across the United States, North America Europe, and all of the rest of planet Earth! This site also features instant access to weather forecasts for around the World, especially for the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Weather Max: Features large area regional animated satellite-radar hybrid images. Here, you can, at a glance, find out whether the sun is shining or not, and whether it is raining or snowing, across all of the United States and across much of Canada. You can spot storm areas at a glance, and then go to Weather Max Radar to focus in on those areas in detail. There is nowhere else on the internet where you can as quickly see in detail what the weather is like across most of North America.

Weather Max Radar: A much more detailed version of Weather Max, this page features numerous smaller area animated regional satellite-radar hybrid images. Here you can quickly find out, in detail, whether the sun is shining or not, and whether it is raining or snowing, across all of the United States and across much of Canada. Weather Max Radar actually features two complete sets of animated regional radar-satellite images, covering most of North America in great detail. Use either set or both to quickly find out whether it is nasty or nice, for any location you want to know about. Nowhere else on the internet gives you such easy and quick access to radar-satellite images for most of North America.