AccuWeather
This year's tornado season is expected to shift farther eastward into the Midwest and become more active in late April through June.
The greatest concentration of tornadoes is reported between March and August each year in "Tornado Alley," which includes portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.
This spring, AccuWeather.com meteorologists expect tornado activity will increase farther east into the Midwest instead of the traditional Tornado Alley.
Tornado season usually begins in March, but this year, there has been a lack of tornadoes. A total of 64 tornadoes have occurred as of March 29. On average, 225 tornadoes occur by this date.
Several reasons account for the lack for tornadoes in 2010, an El Niño year.
1. A cooler-than-normal Gulf of Mexico.
2. Jet stream displaced farther south than normal due to the El Niño.
3. Persistent cool weather in the Plains and South.
The frequency of tornadoes will increase as the El Niño begins to weaken and the Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperatures warm.
Oh boy. I hope the news is getting out and that state and local officials are taking this seriously. If that map turns out to be right, I would expect that many of the people in the high risk area aren't prepared for tornadoes.
ReplyDeleteDWT, it looks like you and I had better batten down the hatches!
ReplyDeleteActually, we already get our fair share of twisters. Part of a neighboring town was demolished a few years ago (in February!). We're prepared. I hope.
lady red, is there some kind of warning system in your area?
ReplyDeleteAll the towns have tornado sirens, but we live out in the country. We keep a close eye on the weather this time of year, and our local news (out of Springfield, MO) keeps constant bulletins running across the bottom of the TV screen for all the Ozarks. We also have a weather radio.
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