Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

2011: Year of the Tornado

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 07:25 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011

+45

The year 2011 will forever be known as Year of the Tornado in the U.S. A series of violent severe storms swept across the Plains and Southeast U.S., bringing an astonishing six billion-dollar disasters in a three-month period. The epic tornado onslaught killed 552 people and caused $25 billion in damage. Three of the five largest tornado outbreaks on record hit in a six-week period, including the largest and most expensive tornado outbreak in U.S. history--the $10.2 billion dollar Southeast U.S. Super Outbreak, April 25 - 28. Even more stunning was the $9 billion late-May tornado outbreak that brought an EF-5 tornado to Joplin, Missouri. The Joplin tornado did $3 billion in damage and killed 158 people--the largest death toll from a U.S. tornado since 1947, seventh deadliest tornado in U.S. history, and the most expensive tornado in world history. In a year of amazing weather extremes, this year's tornado season ranks as the top U.S. weather story of 2011.

Video 1. Remarkable video of the tornado that hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 27, 2011. Fast forward to minute four to see the worst of the storm.

Figure 1. A truly frightening radar image: multiple hook echoes from at least ten supercell thunderstorms cover Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee during the height of the April 27, 2011 Super Outbreak. A multi-hour animation is available here.

A record six EF-5 tornadoes confirmed in 2011
Six top-end EF-5 tornadoes hit the U.S. in 2011, tying this year with 1974 for the greatest number of these most destructive tornadoes. The EF-5 tornadoes of 2011:

1) The April 27, 2011 Neshoba/Kemper/Winston/Noxubee Counties, Mississippi tornado (3 killed, 29 mile path length.)

2) The April 27, 2011 Smithville, Mississippi tornado (22 killed, 15 mile path length.)

3) The April 27, 2011 Hackleburg, Alabama tornado (71 killed, 25 mile path length.)

4) The April 27, 2011 Rainsville/Dekalb County, Alabama tornado (26 killed, 34 mile path length.)

5) The May 22, 2011 Joplin Missouri tornado (158 killed, 14 mile path length.)

6) The May 24, 2011 Binger-El Reno-Peidmont-Guthrie, Oklahoma tornado. (9 killed, 75 mile path length.)

Figure 2. Aerial view of damage from the May 22, 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado. Image credit: Wikipedia.

Figure 3. EF-5 damage from the April 27, 2011 Neshoba tornado in Mississippi. The tornado was so powerful that it dug out the ground to a depth of two feet over an area 25 - 50 yards wide and several hundred yards long. Image credit: NWS.

A few other remarkable statistics on the tornado season of 2011, compiled from NOAA's official press release, the NOAA Extreme Weather 2011 page, and Wikipedia's excellent tornado pages:

- The tornado death toll of 552 in 2011 ties 1936 as the second deadliest year for tornadoes in U.S. history. Only 1925, with 794 fatalities, was deadlier. In 1936, violent tornadoes hit Tupelo Mississippi (216 killed), and Gainesville, Georgia (203 killed.) During the 1930s, the tornado death rate per million people was 60 - 70 times as great as in the year 2000 (Figure 4), implying that this year's tornadoes may have killed tens of thousands of people if we did not have our modern tornado modern warning system.

Figure 4. Death rate per million people per year in U.S., 1875-2011. Thin line with dots is raw rate, curved thick line is death rate, filtered by 3-point median and 5-point running mean filter, and straight solid lines are least squares fit to filtered death rate for 1875-1925 and 1925-2011. Dashed lines are estimates of 10th and 90th percentile death rates from 1925-2000. The death rate fell from 8 per million to .12 per million between 1940 and 2010. Image credit: A Brief History of Deaths from Tornadoes in the United States, Harold Brooks and Charles Doswell III, and updated by Harold Brooks in 2011.

- April 2011 had the most tornadoes of any month in U.S. history--753. The previous record was 542, set in May 2003. The previous busiest April was in 1974, with 267 tornadoes. The average number of tornadoes for the month of April during the past decade was 161, and the 30-year average for April tornadoes was 135.

- On April 27, 199 confirmed tornadoes touched down. This is the largest 1-day tornado total on record, beating the 148 recorded in 24 hours on April 3 - 4, 1974.

The year 2011 now has three of the top five tornado outbreaks on record (note, though, that reliable records for number of tornadoes only extend back in time to about the early 1990s):

- The April 25 - 28, 2011 Super tornado outbreak, with 343 tornadoes, is now the largest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. The previous record (3 days or less duration) was 148 tornadoes, set during the April 3 - 4, 1974 Super Outbreak.

- The May 22 - 27, 2011 tornado outbreak, with 180 confirmed tornadoes, ranks as the 4th largest 6-day or shorter tornado outbreak on record. A May 2003 6-day outbreak had 289 tornadoes, and a May 2004 6-day outbreak had 229 tornadoes.

- The April 14 - 16, 2011 tornado outbreak, with 177 confirmed tornadoes, ranks as the second largest tornado outbreak of three days or less duration on record, and 5th largest outbreak of six or fewer days duration.

- The May 22, 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado killed 158 people and injured 1150, making it the deadliest U.S. tornado since 1947, and 7th deadliest in history. The $3 billion estimate of insured damage makes it the most expensive tornado in world history.

- Preliminary damage estimates from Munich Re insurance company put 2011's insured losses due to U.S. thunderstorms and tornadoes at $25 billion, more than double the previous record set in 2010.

- The year 2011 now ranks in 2nd place behind 1973 for greatest number of tornadoes greater than EF-0 strength (EF-1, EF-2, EF-3, EF-4 and EF-5 strength, Figure 5.)

Figure 5. Number of EF-1, EF-2, EF-3, EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes from 1950 to 2011. The total shown for 2011 is preliminary and uses unofficial numbers through November 17, but 2011 now ranks in 2nd place behind 1973. There is not a decades-long increasing trend in the numbers of tornadoes stronger than EF-0, implying that climate change, as yet, is not having a noticeable impact on U.S. tornadoes. However, statistics of tornado frequency and intensity are highly uncertain. Major changes in the rating process occurred in the mid-1970s (when all tornadoes occurring prior to about 1975 were retrospectively rated), and again in 2001, when scientists began rating tornadoes lower because of engineering concerns and unintended consequences of National Weather Service policy changes. Also, beginning in 2007, NOAA switched from the F-scale to the EF-scale for rating tornado damage, causing additional problems with attempting to assess if tornadoes are changing over time. Data provided by Harold Brooks, NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory.

Other posts looking back at the remarkable weather events of 2011
Deadliest weather disaster of 2011: the East African drought
Tropical Storm Lee's flood in Binghamton: was global warming the final straw?
Wettest year on record in Philadelphia; 2011 sets record for wet/dry extremes in U.S.
Hurricane Irene: New York City dodges a potential storm surge mega-disaster

The NWS posted a summary of the records set during the tornado season of 2011 in February 2012.

Jeff Masters

Joplin Tornado Damage (thebige)

Tornado - Pine Apple,AL (EarlBcom)

Tornado just south of Pine Apple, AL on around 5:40pm. This storm was a part of the Alabama tornado outbreak on April 15, 2011. earlb.com VIDEO - See video of tornado at earlb.com

As Is (teach50)

My husband and I were visiting my parents in Birmingham, Alabama. We decided to take a day trip to Tuscaloosa to see the damage from the April 27 tornado. It was a sight that I will never forget. Blocks and blocks of flattened houses and stores. This area has not been touched in 2 months. It was so moving that I started to cry thinking of all these poor people.

Categories: Tornado Extreme Weather

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1. StormTracker2K 07:27 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Amazing Doc. Thanks! Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

2. HadesGodWyvern 07:29 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
India Meteorological Department Tropical Cyclone Advisory #13 CYCLONIC STORM THANE (BOB05-2011) 17:30 PM IST December 27 2011 =================================== Cyclonic Storm "Thane" Over Southeast And Adjoining Southwest Bay Of Bengal Cyclone Alert for north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast: Yellow Message At 12:00 PM UTC, Cyclonic Storm Thane over southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards and lay centered near 12.5N 86.5E, about 650 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 700 km northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) and 670 km west-northwest of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar island). The system is likely to move west-northwestwards, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hrs and cross north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast between Cuddalore and Nellore by Friday morning. According to satellite imagery, the Dvorak intensity of the system is T3.0. The lowest cloud top temperature is about -77C. Associated broken low/medium clouds with embedded intense to very intense convection seen over Bay of Bengal from 7.5N to 15.0N and 82.0E to 90.0E. 3 minute sustained winds near the center is 45 knots with a central pressure of 992 hPa. The state of the sea is high to very high around the system center. Considering the environmental features, the sea surface temperature is about 27-28C over the region. It is relatively less towards Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coast becoming 26-27C. The ocean heat thermal energy is 50-80 kj/cm2 around the system. It is 50-80 kj/cm2 to the west and west northwest of the system and less than 50 kj/cm2 near Tamil Nadu and north Sri Lanka coast. The Madden Julian Oscillation index currently lies over phase 5. As per statistical and numerical weather prediction model prediction, it is expected to le in phase 5 during next 5 days. the phase 5 is favorable for intensification, as per our past studies. The upper tropospheric ridge lies along 15.0 N and hence helps in west northwest movement of the system. The low level convergence as well as upper divergence does not show any change during past 6 hours. The vertical wind shear between 200 and 850 HPA levels is low to moderate. There is no significant change in wind shear during past 24 hours. Forecast and Intensity ====================== 6 HRS: 12.7N 86.0E - 45-50 knots (Cyclonic Storm) 12 HRS: 12.9N 85.5E - 50-55 knots (Severe Cyclonic Storm) 36 HRS: 13.N 83.2E - 55-60 knots (Severe Cyclonic Storm) 60 HRS: 13.2N 80.6E - 50-55 knots (Severe Cyclonic Storm) Member Since: Maggio 24, 2006 Posts: 43 Comments: 36686

3. StormTracker2K 07:29 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Amazing photo in Figure #3. Never heard of a tornado digging up the dirt like that. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

4. RipplinH2O 07:39 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Thanks Jeff... Member Since: Luglio 30, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 491

5. NttyGrtty 07:40 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Thanks Jeff. Hey Pop! Member Since: Febbraio 11, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 664

6. RipplinH2O 07:41 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Howdy! Member Since: Luglio 30, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 491

7. HadesGodWyvern 07:41 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
RSMC Reunion Tropical Cyclone Outlook 15:00 PM RET December 27 2011 ================================= East of 80E, the westerlies feed two tropical systems located both north and south of the equator: A "tropical storm THANE" (according to the 06Z advisory from RSMC New Delhi) located in the southern Gulf of Bengal and a 1003 hPa low, very approximately located near 11S 94E at 0900Z close to the northern boundary of the Australian area of responsibility. Currently, the near equatorial westerlies mainly feeds the northern hemisphere disturbance. But up to Thursday, this pattern should gradually turn towards a feeding of the southern hemisphere low (according to all available guidance). Consequently, a slow development of this system appears likely as it should move on a generally west southwestwards track on the northern edge of the subtropical ridge. However, some easterly shear should maintain, beginning to weaken up to Thursday. This low is expected to enter within our area of responsibility at the end of Wednesday or during the Wednesday to Thursday night. For the next 24 hours, the potential for development of a tropical depression is poor, with the arrival of the tropical perturbation in the process of formation in the Australian area . The potential becomes poor to fair Thursday over the eastern part of the basin, and fair to good on Friday. Member Since: Maggio 24, 2006 Posts: 43 Comments: 36686

8. HadesGodWyvern 07:48 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Darwin Tropical Cyclone Warning Center Tropical Cyclone Advice #36 TROPICAL LOW, FORMER GRANT (04U) 5:00 AM CST December 28 2011 =================================== At 3:30 AM CST, Tropical Low, Former Grant (1001 hPa) located at 14.0S 134.7E or 115 km west northwest of Numbulwar and 305 km southwest of Nhulunbuy has 10 minute sustained winds of 25 knots with gusts of 45 knots. The low is reported as moving east at 5 knots. Dvorak Intensity: Ex-tropical Cyclone Grant is slowly moving towards the east and is expected to move into the Gulf of Carpentaria later on Wednesday night. The system is expected to move steadily east across the Gulf of Carpentaria during Thursday and Friday and may redevelop into a tropical cyclone on Thursday. GALES are not expected in coastal areas within the next 24 hours, however gales may develop later if the cyclone forms close to the coast. HEAVY RAIN is expected to cause flooding of low lying areas over the eastern Arnhem and eastern Roper-McArthur Districts. Tides will be HIGHER THAN NORMAL between Milingimbi and Groote Eylandt. Large waves may produce MINOR FLOODING of low-lying coastal areas. The Territory Controller advises communities under Watch that now is the time to put together your emergency kit, clear your yards and balconies, and commence home shelter preparations. Cyclone Watches/Warnings ======================= A Cyclone WATCH is current for a developing tropical low for coastal areas from Nhulunbuy to Port Roper, including Groote Eylandt. The next tropical cyclone bulletin from Darwin Tropical Cyclone Warning Center will be issued at 1:30 AM UTC.. Member Since: Maggio 24, 2006 Posts: 43 Comments: 36686

9. IceCoast 07:49 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
That Radar picture will always amaze me. So many classic supercell's with hook echoes all lined up in such a confined area. I'd be a happy camper if this storm played out over the Northeast next week and dumped a whole bunch of snow. This is the ECMWF 500mb heights and Vort @180 and SLP/850mb Temps @ 192 hrs. GFS has yet to jump on board. Member Since: Ottobre 17, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 1254

10. nfloridandr 07:49 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
i had the priveledge of responding to the tuscaloosa tornado recovery. words cannot describe. stories forever embedded in memory. Member Since: Giugno 1, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 70

11. Articuno 07:50 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
When I first saw the damage on live TV, I literally was sad, thinking on how life-changing this scenario was. I wasn't crying, but my heart was. I wonder how the recovery is going. I mean, to see such devastation really gets you emotional, I could never survive without my home, and the ones who lost there homes and are still alive are probably still getting it rough, I mean imagine if you lost EVERYTHING. I can't even think that through myself. I am thankful I am where I am and that our town didn't get any tornadoes despite being under many tornado warnings. Let's just hope it doesn't get any worse in the upcoming years. I just hope EVERYONE who was under any type of situation like the situation pictured in the blog post can get their life straight again under these hard times, this is one reason why not to live in a tornado prone area. Like what Stormtracker2k said, I have never seen a tornado dig up the ground like that, that tornado was off the charts intensity and destruction-wise. Thanks for the excellent post Jeff. I remember tracking most of it on TV. There is nothing to describe how fierce the devastation was. The radar amazes me, I have never seen so much tornado cells at once. Member Since: Ottobre 22, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 1926

12. SteveDa1 07:50 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Looking at that aerial shot of the destruction in Joplin, Missouri sure makes me appreciate the fact that I live in such a safe area where this sort of thing is impossible... Member Since: Ottobre 17, 2006 Posts: 59 Comments: 1057

13. SPLbeater 08:00 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
has every1 forgoten april 16th 2011? when 27 tornadoes roared thru NC? i figured the Joplin and Tuscaloosa tornadoes would git all the media attention, but there WAS another outbreak that 27 people lost their lives... Member Since: Agosto 4, 2011 Posts: 43 Comments: 3954

14. StormTracker2K 08:01 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 243 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011&& .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... -- Changed Discussion --AS OF 240 PM TUESDAY... FORECAST UNCERTAINTY GROWS IN THIS TIME PERIOD. THE AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT PASS THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. WITH PRECEDING LOW LEVEL FLOW VEERING AROUND TO MAINLY WESTERLY... MOISTURE RETURN IS ABSENT... THUS EXPECT THE SURFACE FRONT TO PASS THROUGH LARGELY DRY WITH JUST PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. THICKNESSES REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL AS SHORTWAVE RIDGING MOVES IN ALOFT AND WITH AN INCOMING MODIFIED SURFACE AIR MASS... SO TEMPS SATURDAY/SUNDAY SHOULD REMAIN MILD WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. THEN STARTING LATE IN THE WEEKEND... THE GENERAL TREND OF THE MODELS IS TO A PATTERN FEATURING FULL-LATITUDE LONGWAVE RIDGING IN THE WESTERN US AND TROUGHING IN THE EAST. BUT MAJOR MODEL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DETERMINISTIC GFS AND ECMWF REGARDING PLACEMENT OF THESE LONGWAVE FEATURES INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY... CULMINATING IN SOLUTIONS THAT ARE 180 DEGREES OUT OF PHASE WITH EACH OTHER BY MONDAY/TUESDAY. THE GFS HAS TRENDED A BIT FARTHER WEST AND DEEPER WITH ITS EASTERN NOAM TROUGH... CLOSER TO THE ECMWF ENSEMBLE MEAN... WHILE THE DETERMINISTIC ECMWF IS MUCH SLOWER AND STRONGER THAN ITS ENSEMBLE MEAN... CLOSING OFF A POTENT VORTEX JUST TO OUR WEST BY TUESDAY. THIS ECMWF SOLUTION INITIALLY APPEARS EXTREME... HOWEVER THIS IS THE SECOND ECMWF RUN SHOWING SUCH AN INTENSE CLOSED LOW. IF THIS COMES TO PASS... WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A SIGNIFICANT STORM FOR NC FOR MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AND POSSIBLY BEYOND. FOR NOW... AND TO ACCOUNT FOR THE WIDE VARIETY OF MODEL SOLUTIONS... WILL LEAN TOWARD THE MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD ECMWF ENSEMBLE MEAN... WHICH SWEEPS A LARGELY DRY COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA EARLY MONDAY AND BRINGS IN COOLER AND MORE SEASONABLE AIR FOR LATE MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. BUT AGAIN... THE CONFIDENCE IN THE MEDIUM RANGE IS QUITE LOW... SO STAY TUNED. -GIH-- End Changed Discussion -- Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

15. presslord 08:13 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting SPLbeater: has every1 forgoten april 16th 2011? when 27 tornadoes roared thru NC? i figured the Joplin and Tuscaloosa tornadoes would git all the media attention, but there WAS another outbreak that 27 people lost their lives... North Georgia was hit hard, as well... Member Since: Agosto 13, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 10377

16. islander101010 08:14 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
pretty scary Member Since: Settembre 11, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 2967

17. StormTracker2K 08:15 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting presslord: North Georgia was hit hard, as well... Yeah, specifically in the Rome area. I have family near there and it's still bad as some areas have yet to rebuild from the devastation. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

18. StormTracker2K 08:19 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: Yeah, specifically in the Rome area. I have family near there and it's still bad as some areas have yet to rebuild from the devastation. Link Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

19. dabirds 08:21 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Fortunately totals weren't made any higher by StL tornado as it struck Lambert terminal, couple of churches holding Good Friday services. Lots of damage, but only a few injuries. Joplin pictures are plain scary - being in basements didn't even help. Member Since: Agosto 23, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 497

20. StormTracker2K 08:22 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Smithville, Miss EF5 tornado. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

21. StormTracker2K 08:31 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
This is the tornado going through that field that Doc mentioned in Figure #3. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

22. Articuno 08:34 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: This is the tornado going through that field that Doc mentioned in Figure #3. O_O Member Since: Ottobre 22, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 1926

23. DavidHOUTX 08:41 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting SteveDa1: Looking at that aerial shot of the destruction in Joplin, Missouri sure makes me appreciate the fact that I live in such a safe area where this sort of thing is impossible... Was thinking the same thing. That is truly devastating to see. I can't even imagine how horrible that was in person. Member Since: Agosto 18, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 292

24. weatherbro 08:48 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Most call the April 25th-28th 2011 outbreak The Perfect Storm, Superstorm, or Storm of the Century. With record winds, rains, tornadoes, and low baronomic pressures! Everything perfectly came together and bombed out! NOAA was right in calling this a 1-10,000 year event before it happened! The cyclone twirled like a hurricane! Like the 2005 hurricane season, it doesn't look like we'll see anything like this in our lifetimes! Member Since: Maggio 26, 2007 Posts: 47 Comments: 1155

25. Ameister12 09:18 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Hackleburg/Phil Campbell EF5 Member Since: Agosto 9, 2009 Posts: 9 Comments: 3518

26. AlwaysThinkin 09:33 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
What a year. I remember before I got on a plane in West Palm Beach, FL, that morning, at the newspaper stand, there was a stack of copies of the New York Times and the front page photo was of an insurgent attack on an airforce base in Pakistan. The sky was dark in the photo and there were fires lit from the rocket attack and burning fuel. When I landed at LaGuardia Airport in the afternoon the stack of New York Times at the newspaper stand the front page had changed to a photo of the devastation in Joplin, MO after the tornado complete with a similar image of destruction, a dark sky, and fires lit around the photo. I was waiting for the plane to Madison, WI and while in the terminal at LaGuardia for an hour just staring shell shocked at the tv just absolutely dazed from seeing the utter destruction on tv. I can't imagine going through it as it was haunting enough just to see on tv. If I get some time off I'm hoping to go with a group for Habitat for Humanity or something those people deserve our compassion and time. Member Since: Agosto 9, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 195

27. StormTracker2K 09:36 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
It seems to me that these extreme events are happening a lot more often now than before. I just don't think there is a such thing of an 1 & 10,000 event anymore. IMO. If you look at 2010 there was some exteme severe events with one being the Yazoo City tornado (monster). Yazoo City 2010. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

28. Ameister12 09:42 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: It seems to me that these extreme events are happening a lot more often now than before. I just don't think there is a such thing of an 1 & 10,000 event anymore. IMO. If you look at 2010 there was some exteme severe events with one being the Yazoo City tornado (monster). Yazoo City 2010. The Yahoo City tornado signature is definitely one of the strongest signatures I have ever seen. Member Since: Agosto 9, 2009 Posts: 9 Comments: 3518

29. Ameister12 09:49 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
The Vilonia tornado had one of the strongest signatures as well. Member Since: Agosto 9, 2009 Posts: 9 Comments: 3518

30. StormTracker2K 09:50 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Then you go back to the Greensburg Tornado just a few years ago. My point is it seems like every year we are seeing these massives destructive events occuring when before we never seen this atleast not this frequent. Some think that GW contributes to higher mositure (Water Vapor) content being ejected into the jetstream causing these destructive events on a yearly basis now it seems. May 4th 2007. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

31. Articuno 09:54 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: It seems to me that these extreme events are happening a lot more often now than before. I just don't think there is a such thing of an 1 & 10,000 event anymore. IMO. If you look at 2010 there was some exteme severe events with one being the Yazoo City tornado (monster). Yazoo City 2010. O_________O @ the 3rd one, to close for comfort! Member Since: Ottobre 22, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 1926

32. StormTracker2K 09:57 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting Articuno: O_________O @ the 3rd one, to close for comfort! LOL! Is that near you? Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

33. Ameister12 09:59 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: It seems to me that these extreme events are happening a lot more often now than before. I just don't think there is a such thing of an 1 & 10,000 event anymore. IMO. If you look at 2010 there was some exteme severe events with one being the Yazoo City tornado (monster). Yazoo City 2010. The 2nd image isn't the Yazoo City Tornado. It was the Roanoke F4 tornado that demolished the Parsons Manufacturing Plant on July 13, 2004. Link Member Since: Agosto 9, 2009 Posts: 9 Comments: 3518

34. SPLbeater 10:04 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
TS Thane Member Since: Agosto 4, 2011 Posts: 43 Comments: 3954

35. StormTracker2K 10:04 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting Ameister12: The 2nd image isn't the Yahoo City Tornado. It was the Roanoke F4 tornado that demolished the Parsons Manufacturing Plant on July 13, 2004. oops! I must of read wrong. Weird that was listed as the Yazoo tornado. Anyways point being is that each year more and more devasting events are happening. Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

36. MTWX 10:05 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting nfloridandr: i had the priveledge of responding to the tuscaloosa tornado recovery. words cannot describe. stories forever embedded in memory. I too worked in response to the 2011 Super outbreak. I was in the Cullman/Arab area. The tornado damage throught the country this year has been astounding!! I do agree with Dr. Masters though on his point, "this year's tornadoes may have killed tens of thousands of people if we did not have our modern tornado modern warning system." Member Since: Luglio 20, 2009 Posts: 22 Comments: 1215

37. Skyepony (Mod) 10:08 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Sean Collins died. Member Since: Agosto 10, 2005 Posts: 144 Comments: 29341

38. StormTracker2K 10:08 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Also seems more and more the south has become Tornado Alley lately. The last 5 or 6 years has featured some of the most deadly tornado outbreaks across the Deep South and not in the conventional Tornado Alley (Midwest). Is this tied to GW? Member Since: Ottobre 26, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 2651

39. MTWX 10:12 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: Also seems more and more the south has become Tornado Alley lately. The last 5 or 6 years has featured some of the most deadly tornado outbreaks across the Deep South and not in the conventional Tornado Alley (Midwest). Is this tied to GW? We get our fair share down here every year. What has made them stand out over the last few years is the fact they have struck greater populated areas. Historically, Alabama has the highest number of tornados a year by land area... Let me find a link... Member Since: Luglio 20, 2009 Posts: 22 Comments: 1215

40. Walshy 10:20 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Member Since: Maggio 17, 2009 Posts: 2 Comments: 618

41. MTWX 10:23 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting MTWX: We get our fair share down here every year. What has made them stand out over the last few years is the fact they have struck greater populated areas. Historically, Alabama has the highest number of tornados a year by land area... Let me find a link... I got my tornado tidbits mixed up, Alabama just has the highest rate of strong to violent tornadoes (EF-3+) Member Since: Luglio 20, 2009 Posts: 22 Comments: 1215

42. Chucktown 10:33 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: Also seems more and more the south has become Tornado Alley lately. The last 5 or 6 years has featured some of the most deadly tornado outbreaks across the Deep South and not in the conventional Tornado Alley (Midwest). Is this tied to GW? When was global warming proven? Have I been asleep for awhile? News to me... Member Since: Agosto 27, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 1386

43. Patrap 10:40 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Seems dey dont let the TV Weather guy out too much. :) NOAA Global Climate Change Indicators National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center Many lines of scientific evidence show the Earth's climate is changing. This page presents the latest information from several independent measures of observed climate change that illustrate an overwhelmingly compelling story of a planet that is undergoing global warming. It is worth noting that increasing global temperature is only one element of observed global climate change. Precipitation patterns are also changing; storms and other extremes are changing as well. How do we know the Earth's climate is warming? Thousands of land and ocean temperature measurements are recorded each day around the globe. This includes measurements from climate reference stations, weather stations, ships, buoys and autonomous gliders in the oceans. These surface measurements are also supplemented with satellite measurements. These measurements are processed, examined for random and systematic errors, and then finally combined to produce a time series of global average temperature change. A number of agencies around the world have produced datasets of global-scale changes in surface temperature using different techniques to process the data and remove measurement errors that could lead to false interpretations of temperature trends. The warming trend that is apparent in all of the independent methods of calculating global temperature change is also confirmed by other independent observations, such as the melting of mountain glaciers on every continent, reductions in the extent of snow cover, earlier blooming of plants in spring, a shorter ice season on lakes and rivers, ocean heat content, reduced arctic sea ice, and rising sea levels. Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 371 Comments: 111497

44. Chucktown 10:44 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting Patrap: Seems dey dont let the TV Weather guy out too much. :) NOAA Global Climate Change Indicators National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center Many lines of scientific evidence show the Earth's climate is changing. This page presents the latest information from several independent measures of observed climate change that illustrate an overwhelmingly compelling story of a planet that is undergoing global warming. It is worth noting that increasing global temperature is only one element of observed global climate change. Precipitation patterns are also changing; storms and other extremes are changing as well. How do we know the Earth's climate is warming? Thousands of land and ocean temperature measurements are recorded each day around the globe. This includes measurements from climate reference stations, weather stations, ships, buoys and autonomous gliders in the oceans. These surface measurements are also supplemented with satellite measurements. These measurements are processed, examined for random and systematic errors, and then finally combined to produce a time series of global average temperature change. A number of agencies around the world have produced datasets of global-scale changes in surface temperature using different techniques to process the data and remove measurement errors that could lead to false interpretations of temperature trends. The warming trend that is apparent in all of the independent methods of calculating global temperature change is also confirmed by other independent observations, such as the melting of mountain glaciers on every continent, reductions in the extent of snow cover, earlier blooming of plants in spring, a shorter ice season on lakes and rivers, ocean heat content, reduced arctic sea ice, and rising sea levels. Just stirrin the pot - Press put me up to it. Blame it on him :) Member Since: Agosto 27, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 1386

45. Articuno 10:45 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting StormTracker2K: LOL! Is that near you? No, I am not in Mississippi, I am in Maryland Member Since: Ottobre 22, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 1926

46. KZ1300A1 10:47 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Thanks Jeff, Is it possible that we are better at detecting tornados now than in the past? Member Since: Settembre 4, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 3

47. washingtonian115 10:51 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Tornadoes suck when they arn't minding there buisness.Damn.I hope next tornado season isn't like that. Member Since: Agosto 14, 2010 Posts: 5 Comments: 10655

48. KZ1300A1 11:20 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
La Nina and increased tornadic activity? //www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/schaefer/el_nino.h tm Member Since: Settembre 4, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 3

49. Patrap 11:23 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Quoting Chucktown: Just stirrin the pot - Press put me up to it. Blame it on him :) Im gonna quote ya on dat. Have a Happy New Year over dere chuck. Member Since: Luglio 3, 2005 Posts: 371 Comments: 111497

50. AtHomeInTX 11:25 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
Can't put it any more eloquently than washingtonian did! I don't ever want to tangle with a tornado. I don't know how many go unreported in a given year but I was surprised that the recent tornado in Louisiana was the 1881st confirmed tornado of 2011. I had no idea THAT many happened! Kind of a scary thought. Member Since: Agosto 24, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 3884

51. WxGeekVA 11:29 PM GMT del 27 Dicembre 2011
GFS Nor'easter at hr 300 on 18Z run.... Different time frame but has the same general idea as the Euro... Member Since: Settembre 3, 2011 Posts: 13 Comments: 3318

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