In the past two months, West Virginia has been hit by at least 11 tornadoes as powerful storms swept through the state. This number is quite surprising for such a short period of time and may increase as more information is gathered about the recent sightings.
During Memorial Day weekend, two tornadoes touched down in the region, one in Putnam County and another in Jackson, Ohio. Severe storms caused power outages for over 100,000 Appalachian Power customers, with about 18,000 still without power days later.
On April 2, strong wind and rain caused extensive damage and flooding in West Virginia and neighboring states, with interstate billboards snapped in half. Initially, the National Weather Service reported five tornadoes in the region that day. Subsequent analysis revealed eight tornadoes, and further examination confirmed that 10 tornadoes had struck West Virginia on April 2, setting a state record.
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So far in 2024, West Virginia has experienced 15 tornadoes, breaking the previous record of 14 set in 1998, and the year is only halfway through.
West Virginia typically sees an average of two tornadoes a year, but high activity years can skew this average. The increase in tornadoes can be attributed to climate change, which has likely contributed to a rise in tornado frequency in the state.
Unlike other extreme weather events like heatwaves or hurricanes, the link between climate change and tornadoes is not as direct. Tornadoes are more challenging to study, with only 2 in 10 supercell storms producing tornadoes, making prediction and data collection more difficult.
Researchers suggest that a warming climate leads to an increase in storm cells, creating a higher potential for tornadoes throughout the year. This shift has expanded the traditional boundaries of Tornado Alley, leading to a higher occurrence of tornadoes in previously unaffected regions.
In March 2022, a significant number of tornadoes hit the United States, with the Weather Channel reporting 236 tornadoes, the highest since 1950. NOAA predicts that tornadoes may occur more frequently in winter months due to rising temperatures.
Overall, the frequency and intensity of tornadoes are likely to continue increasing as climate change progresses, resulting in more severe storms and damage to infrastructure.
