Tornadoes AND snow - Storm Team 12 Severe Weather Week continues

Bennington, KS tornado - May 28th, 2013

I'm always amazed at how many native Kansans have never seen a tornado in real life. They are quite common around here, but the last two years would suggest otherwise. Kansas ended up with 40 tornadoes in all of 2014, which was a record low number for the state. We didn't have any during the month of July, And there were parts of Kansas that escaped tornado watches altogether in 2014 (see the map below for a summary of all tornado watches issued by the Storm Prediction Center last year)

Summary of all tornado watches issued by SPC out of Norman, OK

One of the questions we often get asked is why are we so prone to tornadoes around here and why so many in spring? The biggest culprit is the Gulf of Mexico. When we have strong south winds, rich moisture from the Gulf comes right up into the central US. The Rockies to our west helps to funnel the higher humidity into the area. When the dry, desert air from the Southwest collides with the humid air, thunderstorms develop.

We are more vulnerable to tornadoes in spring because the winds higher up in the atmosphere are quite strong. It's those strong winds that often lead to rotating storms. Most of the strong tornadoes that in Kansas happen in the months of March, April, May, and early June. In the summertime, the winds aloft begin to weaken, reducing the overall tornado threat.

Other tornado facts and tips...
1. Any tornado with winds over 200 mph would be classified as EF5
2. Tornadoes tend to form on the back part of the storm, usually behind the heavy rain and hail
3. Violent, wedge shaped tornadoes make up less than 2% of all tornadoes we see in Kansas
4. The most common time for a tornado to develop is between the hours of 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.
5. Avoid opening windows before a tornado, as this will only allow more debris into your home
6. 99% of all tornadoes rotate counterclockwise

Of course, the safest place to be during a tornado is below ground. The winds always increase the higher up you go in a tornado. If you don't have a basement, it's a good idea to find shelter in a closet or bathroom away from windows.

Some snow is headed for Kansas Tuesday night into Wednesday. Accumulations will be very light. I don't think there will be any shoveling with this event. And a nice warm up is coming for the end of the week. We are so close to spring now.