The unusually mild year in Tornado Alley is frustrating scientists who planned to chase twisters for their research project.

Nationwide, there were 826 tornadoes this year through June 30, compared with an average of 934 for the same period during the previous three years.

Tornado Alley generally extends from Texas and Oklahoma to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota.

Except for one twister in Wyoming, the researchers have found little to examine for their $10 million project.