Another popular misconception is that tornadoes don't occur in mountainous areas, or that mountainous terrain will protect people from tornadoes. While the frequency of tornadoes is lower in mountainous areas compared to Tornado Alley, significant tornadoes can occur regularly in the southern Appalachian region of the United States and have even been documented at high altitudes along the continental divide of Wyoming . In addition, tornado outbreaks occasionally occur around the southern Appalachian mountains with the 1974 Super Outbreak and the 2011 Super Outbreak directly affecting the southern Appalachian region .