March was a busy month for storms as a record-breaking 218 tornadoes touched down nationwide. With most of the storms happening toward the end of the month, this record for most tornadoes is baffling to meteorologists. While March is typically a busy time of year for tornadoes, most tornadic activity is typically reserved for the late spring and summer months. The swath of vigilance for destruction was wide with eight states fallen under the ‘tornado watch’ status on March 30. That severe weather spawned nearly 30 tornadoes that killed two people inside mobile homes in Washington, Fla. Seven others were injured on March 29 in Arkansas when a powerful F-3 twister tore through a sleepy southern town.
Clouds of Destruction Are Clues to Changing Weather Patterns
March’s record for most tornadoes is part of a larger trend of tornadic activity. Instead of a few isolated outbreaks, the absurdly high number of tornadoes were distributed evenly throughout the entire month. In the beginning stages of the onslaught, more than 60 of those tornadoes touched down across five southern states. One of those twisters in St. Bernard’s Parish, Louisiana, caused damage over a remarkable 2-mile stretch of land. It seems as if every year, the scope of destruction and frequency of these killer storms continues to increase. While the innerworkings of tornado trajectories and paths remain a mystery to scientists, what they do know is that tornadoes are occurring more often and in areas unaccustomed to such deliberate destruction. Tornado Alley, an insanely popular corridor for tornadoes, appears to be shifting to the southeast. Traditionally, Texas-sized twisters, were reserved for well, Texas, but now it appears the brunt of the destruction is narrowing in on the southern states. March’s record for most tornadoes only reaffirms what meteorologists have suspected.
Why Are Tornadoes So Much More Deadlier in The South?
While the general flatness of the Plain States gave tornadoes plenty of room to operate, it also presented storm spotter’s a bird’s eye view of where the storms were headed. Sparsely populated areas and the absence of long stretches of tree lines gave meteorologists an advantage in that they had more time to warn unsuspecting residents. The propensity of these storms to occur in the early afternoon also meant that storm stricken residents were wide awake and able to take further action to prevent serious bodily injury. Midwestern folks were also storm seasoned as they’ve likely lived through countless tornado outbreaks, so they know what to do when the tornado sirens begin to blare. Southern residents are more accustomed to dealing with hurricanes, which give several days’ notice instead of just a few minutes. There’s also an issue of timing. For whatever reason, tornadoes in the Deep South seem to strike most frequently after midnight. It could of course just be the timing of how severe weather patterns set up. Colliding airmasses from the Rockies and Gulf of Mexico transpire earlier in the day so these storm dynamics could take longer to materialize, which gives credence for the storm’s late arrival further east. Topography is also a factor. Rolling hills, heavy tree lines and the late timing of storms, means these twisters are nearly impossible to spot in the dark. Southern residents are also in the bed by time tornadoes roll through, so their fate is sealed unless they can reach a tornado shelter in matter of seconds instead of minutes.
Record for Most Tornadoes is A Stark Reminder of the Need For Steel Protection
Our premium steel safe rooms are also life-saving Tornado Shelters that can protect your family or employees from severe weather events. High wind and tornado activity has been increasing in intensity and frequency over the past few decades. Protect those you care about with a safe room, or panic room, and customize it into a multi-use room that is as functional as it is practical. In the event of an emergency, these shelters can also provide life-saving protection for employees and customers. A structure from U.S. Safe Room could be the best investment in security you ever make. Your employees and customers will respect you for thinking ahead about their safety.