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I live right in the middle of Tornado Alley. I couldn't tell you how many I've heard, seen, and been through. This is how common they are here:
Tornado sirens are tested EVERY saturday at noon. No exception.
Every resident knows the closest public tornado shelter, whether its the closest public school, shopping mall, or community center.
I slept through one two weeks ago. No joke. The only reason I woke up is because my neighbor in the apartment above me kept calling to see if she and her son could come downstairs to my apt. if it got too bad (because everyone knows downstairs in the middle of the house/apt is the safest place to be) The sirens were already going off and the wind and rain was deafening, but i'm used to it.
My dad and I watched the only confirmed category F5 tornado from our back yard (May 3rd, 1999. Search that date and it is the first thing that comes up in google. The single most costly tornado in US history, caused more than 1.1 billion in damages)
When I was in drivers ed and a tornado related hailstorm started, I was the one that was driving (we were in groups of 3 once we got to the actual driving) and do you think our instructor told me to stop? No. All he said was "You're doing good." My parents were furious when they found out, but I had to remind them that they should be glad i was with an instructor instead of by myself the first time I drove in a storm.
I guess they're pretty scary to people who don't see them every year, and they do cause alot of damage, but they aren't usually deadly. Luckily, weather technology has advanced to the point where people can be warned to get to a safe place in enough time to save their lives.
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