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Title: Tornado climatology of the contiguous United States

Abstract

The characteristics of tornadoes that were reported in the contiguous United States for the period from January 1, 1954, through December 31, 1983, have been computed from data in the National Severe Storms Forecast Center tornado data base. The characteristics summarized in this report include frequency and locations of tornadoes, and their lengths, widths, and areas. Tornado strike and intensity probabilities have been estimated on a regional basis, and these estimates have been used to compute wind speeds with 10/sup -5/, 10/sup -6/, and 10/sup -7/ yr/sup -1/ probabilities of occurrence. The 10/sup -7/ yr/sup -1/ wind speeds range from below 200 mph in the western United States to about 330 mph in the vicinity of Kansas and Nebraska. The appendices contain extensive tabulations of tornado statistics. Variations of the characteristics within the contiguous United States are presented in the summaries. Separate tabulations are provided for the contiguous United States, for each state, for each 5/sup 0/ and 1/sup 0/ latitude and longitude box, and for the eastern and western United States.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5713396
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-4461; PNL-5697
ON: TI86005189
DOE Contract Number:  
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 58 GEOSCIENCES; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; TORNADOES; RISK ASSESSMENT; CLIMATES; COMPILED DATA; DATA COMPILATION; DESIGN; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; USA; DATA; DISASTERS; INFORMATION; NORTH AMERICA; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; NUMERICAL DATA; POWER PLANTS; STORMS; THERMAL POWER PLANTS; WIND; 500600* - Environment, Atmospheric- Regulations- (-1989); 580300 - Mineralogy, Petrology, & Rock Mechanics- (-1989); 290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment, Health, & Safety; 290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy

Citation Formats

Ramsdell, J V, and Andrews, G L. Tornado climatology of the contiguous United States. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Ramsdell, J V, & Andrews, G L. Tornado climatology of the contiguous United States. United States.
Ramsdell, J V, and Andrews, G L. 1986. "Tornado climatology of the contiguous United States". United States.
@article{osti_5713396,
title = {Tornado climatology of the contiguous United States},
author = {Ramsdell, J V and Andrews, G L},
abstractNote = {The characteristics of tornadoes that were reported in the contiguous United States for the period from January 1, 1954, through December 31, 1983, have been computed from data in the National Severe Storms Forecast Center tornado data base. The characteristics summarized in this report include frequency and locations of tornadoes, and their lengths, widths, and areas. Tornado strike and intensity probabilities have been estimated on a regional basis, and these estimates have been used to compute wind speeds with 10/sup -5/, 10/sup -6/, and 10/sup -7/ yr/sup -1/ probabilities of occurrence. The 10/sup -7/ yr/sup -1/ wind speeds range from below 200 mph in the western United States to about 330 mph in the vicinity of Kansas and Nebraska. The appendices contain extensive tabulations of tornado statistics. Variations of the characteristics within the contiguous United States are presented in the summaries. Separate tabulations are provided for the contiguous United States, for each state, for each 5/sup 0/ and 1/sup 0/ latitude and longitude box, and for the eastern and western United States.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5713396}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986},
month = {Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986}
}

Technical Report:
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