In West Texas, springtime means cacti blooms and birdsongs. It also means the advent of severe weather – from damaging winds to hailstorms. Perhaps no weather phenomenon is as extreme as a tornado.

West Texas sits at the edge of “Tornado Alley.” While tornadoes are more common to the east, our region can see powerful twisters.

When it comes to severe weather, the plains states have a dubious distinction. Along a wide path from Texas to Indiana called “Tornado Alley,” tornadoes occur more frequently than anywhere else on earth.

This unique weather phenomenon is the product of equally unique geography. From east to west, the Great Plains rise steadily in elevation toward the...