The 2024 tornado season is a little different

The 2024 tornado season has been relatively active, but not in the typical locations in the early spring season. According to an article from The Weather Channel, most of the tornadoes have been seen across the U.S., rather than the southern states.

From February through much of April, most of the tornadoes have been reported in Ohio and Illinois. As of early last week, there were 43 twisters in Ohio with 40 in Illinois. Although the southern states have reported tornadoes in 2024, there were only 15 in Texas through Thursday, which is the state that reports the highest number on average for each season. In Idaho and Washington, there have been no reports of tornadoes so far this year.

However, there was a recent outbreak across the central U.S. last Friday and into the weekend. Devastating twisters were reported in Nebraska and Iowa with at least 80 tornadoes spotted from this strong storm system.

The intensity of a tornado is currently measured by the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which was implemented in 2007. It examines the damage caused by the twister and wind speeds. An EF0 and EF1 tornado generally inflicts minor damage, but an EF5, the most severe, will cause widespread destruction. Prior to the enhancement, the Fujita Scale was used based on the damage of structures and area vegetation.

Last year, there were 1,197 confirmed tornadoes across the U.S., which was a little below the normal of 1,251 twisters. Except for February, there were at least 100 tornadoes reported across the U.S. from January to August in 2023. In Idaho, there is an average of about one tornado per year and it occurs mainly in the southern part of the state. 

According to the Climate Prediction Center, the largest outbreak last year occurred March 31. On that date, more than 160 twisters ripped through the central and southern portions of the country. The strongest twister was reported in Keota in southwestern Iowa. The tornado was rated as an EF-4 as winds were estimated to be near 170 miles per hour.

There was another tornado outbreak April 1, 2023, as 13 tornadoes hit the eastern states of New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The latest outbreak was late last year. On Dec. 9, there were an estimated 39 tornadoes that were spawned from Tennessee southward into Mississippi and Alabama.

The most intense tornadoes are rated as an EF5, which is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The last time the U.S. reported a twister that strong was May 20, 2013, in Moore, Okla. One of the most devastating seasons was back in 2011, when there were multiple EF-5 twisters reported. Joplin, Mo., experienced devastating tornadoes in 2011 as that event was the deadliest in the United States since 1947.

In an average year, more than 60% of all U.S. tornadoes each year occur in what is called, "Tornado Alley," which stretches from Texas and Oklahoma northward through Kansas and eastern Colorado into Nebraska and Iowa. The state that has the highest average number of twisters each year is Texas with a total of 135.

The U.S. receives more tornadoes than any other country. In fact, there are four times more twisters here than in Europe. In recorded history, tornadoes have been seen in all 50 states. In Alaska, there were two twisters reported, one in November of 1959 and the other in August of 2005. Both were on the very low end of the intensity scale. Since 1950, Hawaii has seen 40 tornadoes. The last one was reported March 17, 2000, as an EF0 was seen near Waimea.

One of the most active months for tornadic activity in the U.S. is in May. The average number of tornadoes for May is 276 with the majority occurring in Texas (43), Oklahoma (28) and Kansas (38). Both Idaho and Washington average one tornado during the month of May. For an entire season, the average number of twisters in Idaho is four. In 2023, there were four tornadoes and three in Washington. All of them were estimated at an EF-0.

In terms of our local weather, it has been a drier-than-normal April across the Inland Northwest. Coeur d’Alene’s average April precipitation is 1.77 inches, but only .31 inches has fallen as of late Sunday. There is a chance of shower activity across the region from now until early May. Conditions may turn dry again, but we could see more showers and thunderstorms around the middle and the end of May, as well as early June.

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Contact Randy Mann at randy@longrangeweather.com.