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**Questions for Mr. Ray Jeff Ray, Nashville WX News2 :**
Thank you so very very much! Sincerely,Ms. Roth's First Grade Class || Here are our questions: Hello, I'm Henry and I wonder where do most tornadoes happen? **Mr. Ray's answer:** Henry most of us first think about “Tornado Alley” (parts of TX, OK and KS) when wondering where tornadoes are most likely. During the months of April, May and early June this would be true. The state of Oklahoma AVERAGES FIVE tornadoes a day in the month of May. This is the highest tornado frequency in the world. There is another place where there is high tornado frequency called “Dixie Alley”. This includes our area as well as parts of MS and AL. Because tornadoes can occur almost any time during the year in Dixie there are almost as many tornadoes here as in Tornado Alley. This is one of the reasons that Tennessee leads the nation in tornado fatalities over the last decade. If you want a better explanation on Dixie Alley go to NashvilleWx.com and look under the right column under “essays”.
 * **Dear Mr. Ray,** || We are a first grade class at University School of Nashville and we are studying wild weather. We have some questions for you. Please answer them if you have time. You can do so simply by clicking "Edit" above right and then "Save" when you are finished!

Hi, Mr. Ray, my name is Gillian. How much damage can a tornado do? **Mr. Ray's answer:** The Strongest tornadoes (EF 4 or EF 5 on the ranking scale) can do incrediable damage Gillian. I have personally seen entire houses destroyed with only the foundation left behind. Winds can get up to 200mph or more and strip the landscape down to the soil. Dear Mr. Ray, I'm Lauren. How many miles wide is an entire hurricane? Ria and Lang also want to know the answer to this question. **Mr. Ray's answer:** Ria and Lang- Hurricanes actually vary greatly in size. Hurricane Tip in 1979 would have covered most of the western US. An average would be about 420 miles wide.

Hi Mr. Ray. I'm Halle. vary Which hurricane caused the most damage? **Mr. Ray's answer:** Halle Katrina broke all the records when it hit New Orleans 2005. Damage is estimated at 80 billion dollars or twice that as the second costliest Hurricane, Andrew 1992.

Hi I'm Lucy and I'm wondering how much damage happens in a hurricane? **Mr. Ray's answer:** Huge swaths of a cost line miles long can be deeply effected by a landfalling hurricane. Because their size and intensity vary from hurricane so does the scope of their damage. What remains of them can also cause tremendous flooding when they come on shore.

Mr. Ray, I'm Liam. th What was the largest hurricane? **Mr. Ray's answer:** I believe Hurricane Tip in 1979 Liam. Pacific Hurricanes tend to be bigger (bigger spaces of open water to allow them to keep developing).

I'm Serena and I'm wondering do hurricanes only happen between June and November? **Mr. Ray's answer:** Serena only a few have developed outside of the season, not more than a handful. They require warm ocean water and tends to disappear in the cooler months.

Hi there, my name is T.J. and I'd like to know How fast can the winds in a tornado go? **Mr. Ray's answer:** That's a highly debated question T.J. since it is almost impossible to get a durable enough instrument in the path of a tornado. However, most accept wind estimates made by mobile doppler weather radar positioned close to the tornado. In 1999 a tornado in Bridge Creek Oklahoma had winds around 300mph about 100ft off the ground.