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Why does the United States get so many tornadoes?

Posted at 12:34 PM, Jul 08, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-08 12:34:00-04

The United States averages more tornadoes per year than any other country in the world.

Canada produces the second most tornadoes, but it's only a fraction of the number of tornadoes the U.S. gets.

In order for tornadoes to form, they need a few ingredients: a cool, dry air mass colliding with a warm, moist air mass, a lifting mechanism like a front and wind shear.

It turns out, the United States has a vast supply of all three of these ingredients — more so than anywhere else in the world.

Watch the video above to find out more about the United States' unique tornado setup, and watch the video below to find out when the most tornadoes occurred in one day.

Follow Storm Shield Meteorologist Jason Meyersvia the Storm Shield appon Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Download the Storm Shield Weather Radio App for your iPhone or Android device and get severe weather alerts wherever you are. Named by Time.com one of the best weather apps for your iPhone.