Weather forecasters are quick to mention “Tornado Alley” as spring storm season ramps up every year, but where exactly is that?

The answer all depends on where you live.

What Is Tornado Alley?

As with other weather-related terms, such as storm names, Tornado Alley came about thanks to the media.

“‘Tornado Alley’ is a nickname invented by the media to refer to a broad area of relatively high tornado occurrence in the central United States,” NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory says.

While Tornado Alley does exist, it is far from the only place to experience such a weather event. According to NOAA’s figures, a whopping 1,200 tornadoes sweep across the U.S. each year.

And at some point, there has been at least one tornado reported in all 50 states.

Which States Are Considered to Be Tornado Alley?

You certainly want to take anyone seriously if you hear your state is in Tornado Alley. But whether your state actually deserves that distinction comes down to the time of the year.

NOAA says the concept of Tornado Alley can be “misleading.”

“The U.S. tornado threat shifts from the Southeast in the cooler months of the year, toward the southern and central Plains in May and June, and the northern Plains and Midwest during the summer,” the association says on its website.

READ MORE: The Waffle House Storm Center Is Real And the Feds Are Taking Notice

In other words, your state might be in Tornado Alley if you’re in one of these regions, but it might not actually be a hotspot for tornadoes at that time.

Some have found it easier to explain by breaking Tornado Alley up into three sections: Traditional Tornado Alley, Midwest Alley and Dixie Alley.

These states within these alleys are often hit the hardest by tornadoes due to how they are situated between the Gulf of Mexico and the Rocky Mountains.

“Low pressure systems in the United States pull warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and cool, dry air from the Rocky Mountains or the High Desert in the southwest,” the Royal Meteorological Society says.

Those two meet in the middle, or Tornado Alley, leading to increased severe storm activity.

KEEP READING: Get answers to 51 of the most frequently asked weather questions…