Tornado Season 2021 Is Here: Above-Aveage Activity Likely This Spring

The meteorological spring 2021 is here, and so is the new tornado season in the United States. This year, colder than normal Pacific could lead to increased severe weather events and above-average tornado activity. The recent cold delayed the season, but the activity will soon ramp up.

So far, we are seeing a quite slow start of the storm season. But the severe weather activity has started earlier than usual over the recent years. And what the weather models are now trending, this year’s tornado season could again be an above-average this spring.

The above-normal sea temperatures over the Gulf of Mexico play a very important role each year, as they provide one of the most important ingredients, the fuel for the storms. The other ingredient needed is the jet stream, winds in the upper-level parts of the atmosphere. Those are forecast to remain stronger than normal through the coming months.

A combination of very moist and warm lowest levels of the atmosphere and the enhanced jet stream aloft, bring these ingredients together and the result is organized severe storms, including tornadoes. Those normally increase during the spring months, from March through June, this is the heart of the tornado season.