Ah, yes. It’s March. A time of change for many in our nation. Temperatures seem to fluctuate drastically as we transition from Winter to Spring. Allergies start to kick in. And let’s not forget that this is about the time that storm chasers start getting antsy! As cold air masses combat warm air masses, the atmosphere becomes increasingly more unstable this time of the year and the severe weather jabber commences. While tornadoes can happen at any time at any location, we are entering what’s known as the severe weather season for the southern states. The United States reports an average of 800-1000 tornadoes each year that result in about 85 deaths and 1500 injuries annually. Texas is number 1 as far as the average number of tornadoes that are reported each year: 130+! Of course, this is mainly due to the immense size of the state. 70% of tornadoes occur between the months of March and June. May, however, is the most active month. Interestingly enough, South Texas doesn’t get nearly as many tornadoes as Northern Texas, but it boasts the largest outbreak in the state. Hurricane Beulah managed to spawn 115 tornadoes in 1967.

Tornadoes are fascinating and quite intriguing, in my opinion. They seem to come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Their widths can be as large as 1 mi and wind speeds can be clocked at 250 mph or more. You may have heard stories of a tornado transporting debris to an entire different state. For example, a tornado in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, carried a motel sign 30 miles and left it in Arkansas. Here’s another one: a retired farmer found a check from Enterprise, Alabama, on a road at his farm just hours after powerful tornadoes hit the area. That was more than 100 miles away! Check out the Tornado Debris Project.

Thunderstorms form in advance of eastbound cold fronts where the air is warm and moist. This situation is very common in the Spring months. Large outbreaks tend to occur when strong cold fronts sweep across an area. The intensity of the cold front can end up impacting several states with strong thunderstorms and tornadoes. It’s all about contrasting air masses: dry and cold vs. warm and moist. In the Spring, storms can develop along a “dryline.” It’s very much like a cold front, except that there is no drastic change in temperature (cold vs. warm)–rather, you see just a drastic change in moisture. Dry lines separate warm, moist air from hot, dry air. Tornadoes can thrive in this kind of scenario. In the front range of the Rocky Mountains and the Texas panhandle, strong storms can occur due to upslope flow and in some cases, tornadoes can form. As in the case of Hurricane Beulah, tornadoes, usually weaker ones, accompany tropical storms and hurricanes that move inland.

Tornado Activity in the U.S.

Either way you put it, we’ll be watching the skies… as always. I’m sure this year will bring even more interesting weather our way. I’ll leave you with some myths:

Tornado Myths:

MYTH: If I’m near a river, lake or mountain, I’m safe from tornadoes.
FACT: Um, no. No place is safe from tornadoes. In the late 1980s, a tornado swept through Yellowstone National Park leaving a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 ft. mountain.

MYTH: It’s the low pressure of a tornado that causes buildings to explode.
FACT: Nope. Violent winds and debris cause most structural damage.

MYTH: A tornado is upon us! I’m going to open all the windows to equalize pressure and save my house!
FACT:  Good luck staying alive. Opening windows allows damaging winds to enter the structure. Do you want your stuff flying all over the place on purpose? Leave the windows alone. Go to a safe area in your house with no windows–like a basement.

Susie Martin
WeatherNation Meteorologist