Tornado Path Question

[K Brown]

I remember the F4 tornados that ripped through the Carolinas in 1984. I was in Bennettsville and actually had a side mirror sucked off my car trying to get away. So tornados have always fascinated me.

My question is this: Why do tornados seem to follow the same local path?

In my hometown of Dillon, SC we have had many "minor" tornados. They always come from the southwest side of town over the football stadium. And this was in the general direction of Bennettsville. Is there any reason that tornados follow the same general paths? I don't remember any tornadoes coming into Dillon from any other direction.

 

[Skip Talbot]

http://tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado.php?yr=%25&mo=%25&day=%25&st=South+Carolina&fu=%25&co=Marlboro&l=auto&submit=Map&ddat=on&dsta=on&dfuj=on&dfat=on&dinj=on&dcou=on&format=basic&p=1&s=1

Doesn't look too out of the ordinary (ie a bunch of tornadoes piled up in the same spot). The storms generally move west to east, so you'll typically have tornadoes moving in that general direction. They looked pretty randomly spaced across the county.

 

[Danny Neal]

Well *generally* tornadoes will follow the SW to NE path as the parent thunderstorm *normally* follows that path as well. Of course it has to do with the synoptic patterns on that particular day..... Was it involved with a hurricane, a supercell, a bow echo/derecho etc. To answer why these tornadoes occurred in the same area is beyond me and probably anyone else.... just pure coincidence.

It is fascinating though to look at localized areas that seem to be hot spots for tornadic activity. Of course areas like Oklahoma City are no brainers, but the other areas (I.E Will County, IL (by me)) that seem to have a more concentrated tornadic activity is a very cool thing to research!

 

[K Brown]

Thanks guys! I have absolutely NO meterological experience, and this was my first post. So I have learned something about the general paths that tornados take!

Probably just coincidence, but the SW to East path is fascinating. Guess it has to do with weather paths in general. Kinda like hurricanes form off the same area in coastal Africa.

I hope to learn alot here from everyone - and thank you for good answers that don't make me feel stupid!