"Dixie Alley" lives up to its reputation for tornadoes...

Research by Northern Illinois University finds that tornadoes are occurring more frequently in the South than in part of the Great Plains which has been known as "Tornado Alley," Professor Victor Gensini found that twisters are occurring more frequently in the southern version of Tornado Alley. "Dixie Alley" includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The Montgomery Advertiser reports the cause of the shift is unknown, though some theories focus on climate change, the newspaper reported. Some scientists believe climate change is responsible for dryer Midwestern conditions, which in turn halts moisture-dependent storm fronts from developing until further east. Alabama Public Radio spotlighted research into why tornadoes here prove deadlier, during its international award-winning series and documentary “Legacy of the Storm.” The coverage focused on the fifth anniversary of the 2011 tornado outbreak that killed over fifty people in Tuscaloosa. Click here for the stories…