2004 Tornadoes

Today, I will begin a series on the tornadoes of 2004. In an average year, 1200 tornadoes strike the United States and kill 55 Americans. The year 1998 saw a record number of tornadoes (1,424) across the United States. Last year, that record was nearly surpassed, when 1,368 twisters were reported. Through April 2004, there were actually fewer tornadoes than average across the nation. That changed during a busy month of May across Tornado Alley when tornado outbreaks were reported on four of the last ten days of the month. June and July were also above average, but still the deviation was not that extreme. The big news through the first six months was that we had a chance to set the record for the fewest number of killer tornadoes.

The hopes for a less active tornado year and a record low number of killer tornadoes came to an end in August and September as one tropical storm and five hurricanes impacted the U.S. The August total of 173 tornadoes easily bested the previous record of 126 set in August 1979. Then 247 tornadoes were reported in September, smashing the previous record of 139 set in September 1967. That was the month that Hurricane Beulah brought a record number of tornadoes for any landfalling U.S. tropical cyclone. The monthly record was not only shattered, but so was the record for a single landfalling storm. Beulah had spawned 115 tornadoes across parts of Texas and Oklahoma. Hurricane Frances spun off 117 tornadoes, establishing a new record for a single storm. Then along came Ivan. The monster storm added another 104 tornadoes to the burgeoning numbers. In an average August and September, the U.S. might see about 111 twisters. This year, the same time period produced an amazing 420 tornadoes. We were rocketing toward smashing the annual record again. Now we didn’t set the record for fewest killer tornadoes. That went down in flamers as Ivan made landfall with a flurry of killer twisters on September 15th. But we did enjoy a relatively low number of fatalities this year with 35. Only nine years since 1940 have had fewer. The record is 15 in 1986. More all weekend....