Tornadoes in the United States
The Midwestern states are very prone to tornado activity, as they are part of "Tornado Alley." States included in the area that are hit by tornadoes the most are Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. The Midwestern States are often hit by tornadoes during the late spring and early summer months, especially the months of May and June. This is due to the aforementioned air mass moving northward into the Midwest and combining with another air mass that move southward from Canada. This creates unstable air, creating the potential for storms to strike the most during these months. The frequency begins to decrease in the middle of the summer, as the air mass moves northward into the Great Lakes states.
List of 2008 Minnesota tornadoes
The following is a list of 2008 Minnesota tornadoes. Minnesota is a state located in the North Central United States along the northern edge of Tornado Alley, and on average receives 24 tornadoes per year. 2008 was a more active year historically, with 43 confirmed tornado touchdowns. Thirty-eight of the tornadoes (or 88%) were considered "minor", rated EF0 or EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The remaining five tornadoes were rated as "significant", at EF2 or EF3.