Van_Denton's Blog

The Tornado outbreak on February 5 & 6 will go down in the record books as one of the worst in US history.   Statistically, we have already had more tornado deaths this year than through April the previous 3 years.

It is not unusual to have tornadoes in February, however they are typically more common on the gulf coast and in Florida this early in the Severe Weather Season.   See February 1998 and 2007 (last year) when killer tornadoes hit Florida.   On Feb. 22, 1998, 42 people were killed by tornadoes in Florida between Daytona Beach to near Orlando.  On Feb. 1, 2007, 20 were killed when tornadoes hit near that same area.

The tornadoes this week were from a combination of Record warm air clashing with seasonably cold air and an unusually strong jet stream.   Fortunately for NC, much of the energy had left the system before it got here on Wednesday evening.

Here is a good link with more Tornado Stats and Facts.