Today we say “so long” to the spring 2006 tornado season. And, it was another quiet one. I saw a nice article yesterday morning in the Birmingham News by Jeff Hansen on the subject, in which NWS meteorologist Kristina Sumrall reported only 16 tornadoes in the Birmingham CWA (County Warning Area). There was one indirect fatality due to a woman driving her car into a fallen tree between Haleyville and Hamilton; otherwise there were only two injuries in Birmingham’s CWA.
Our last major spring tornado was eight years ago: the April 8, 1998 F5 that killed 32 people in Jefferson County (two more were killed by another tornado from the same parent storm in St. Clair County for a total death toll of 34). The major tornadoes in the last eight years have come during the fall; the “secondary” tornado season during November and December. We all remember the December 16, 2000 F4 that killed 11 people in Tuscaloosa, and other major Alabama tornado outbreaks on November 24, 2001 and November 20, 2002.
So, whats the deal? The bottom line is that strong/violent tornadoes are relatively rare events, and we can go for long periods without significant tornadoes. During my first 10 years in this business, from 1979 through 1989, there were hardly any major tornadoes, including both the spring and fall seasons. The Huntsville F4 tornado on November 15, 1989 ended the quiet period.
Active spring tornado seasons will return. Not a matter of if, but a matter of when. The greatest concern during these long periods of quiet weather is complacency. We hope it doesn’t take another F5 with dozens of deaths for Alabamians to think about a severe weather plan for their family or business.
Our last major spring tornado was eight years ago: the April 8, 1998 F5 that killed 32 people in Jefferson County (two more were killed by another tornado from the same parent storm in St. Clair County for a total death toll of 34). The major tornadoes in the last eight years have come during the fall; the “secondary” tornado season during November and December. We all remember the December 16, 2000 F4 that killed 11 people in Tuscaloosa, and other major Alabama tornado outbreaks on November 24, 2001 and November 20, 2002.
So, whats the deal? The bottom line is that strong/violent tornadoes are relatively rare events, and we can go for long periods without significant tornadoes. During my first 10 years in this business, from 1979 through 1989, there were hardly any major tornadoes, including both the spring and fall seasons. The Huntsville F4 tornado on November 15, 1989 ended the quiet period.
Active spring tornado seasons will return. Not a matter of if, but a matter of when. The greatest concern during these long periods of quiet weather is complacency. We hope it doesn’t take another F5 with dozens of deaths for Alabamians to think about a severe weather plan for their family or business.
on May 30, 2006, 10:41 pm
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