Florida Named Top Tornado State By the Weather Channel

The state experiences 12.3 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles

Florida was named the top tornado state in the country with 12.3 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles, according to The Weather Channel's tornado expert Dr. Greg Forbes.

“Several things contribute to there being a lot of tornadoes in Florida,” Forbes was quoted as saying. “It’s surrounded by water so they can get tornadoes any month.”

Forbes also said that many of the frequent thunderstorms in the state can cause tornadoes. Florida is under a constant threat because of tornadoes in the spring and hurricanes in the summer and fall, according to the report.

The list of the top 10 states is based on statistics from the National Weather Service over the past 60 years. The states were ranked based on tornadoes per 10,000 miles, according to the article.

Clearwater was the top tornado city in Florida, based on population density.

Forbes said the country was off to a fast start after a “tornado outbreak” this month.

"2012 is off to a fast pace with 18 killer tornadoes and more than 50 tornado fatalities,” Forbes said.

Florida was followed by Kansas with 11.7 per 10,000 square miles and Maryland with 9.9, according to the Weather Channel, which like NBC 6 is owned by NBCUniversal.

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