Rising tornado numbers linked to climate change, study says

INVESTIGATES HOW A WARMING CLIMATE MAY BE AFFECTING OUR TORNADO SEASONS. NATSOUND: "GET INSID E, GET INSIDE! RUN!" THE U-S AVERAG ES ANNUALLY OVER 12- HUNDRED TORNADOE S. THE TWO REGIONS THAT HEAVILY CONTRIBUTE TTHO AT NUMBER ARE DIXIE ALLEY, WHICH INCLUDES MISSISSIPP I. AND THE INFAMOUS TORNADO ALLEY, WHICH COVERS THE GREAT PLAINS AND A PART OF THE MIDWES T. THE PEAK OF TORNADO SEASON FOR EACH REGI ON DEPENDS ON ITS SEASONALITY. DR. MIKE BWNRO // PROFESSOR OF METEOROLOGY AND STATE CLIMATOLOGT 1:30-1:47 WE TD ENTO HAVE ALLEY TENDS OF HAVE A LATE SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER TORNADO SEON. THE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT...A BIG DIP IN THE JET STREAM...WARM MOIST AIR OUT OF THE SOUTH COUNTERACTING WITH COOLER AIR OUT OF THE NORTHWEST. THE WINDS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE GIVES THE AIR MASSES A SPIN, EVENTUALLY GETTING ENOH UG LIFT TO TILT AND HAVE A TORNADO FORM. AS WE NE TARHE SUMMER MONTHS, THE JET STREAM LIFTS, SO THE SEVERE THREATS NORMALLY STAY TO OUR NORTHWEST IN LATE SPRING AND GINGER ZEE/ /GMA CHIEF METEOROLOGIST: :38-43: "LIKE AGRICULTURE, YOU START TO SHIFT WHERE THINGS GROW, IT SHIFTS WHERE TORNADOES CAN GROW" SCIENTISTS ARE INVESTIGATING IF A WARMING CLIMATE IS CONTRIBUTING TO MORE DESTRUCTIVE TOADRNOES. IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THE 2020 EASTER SUNDAY OUTBREAK PRODUCE TWO EF4 TORNADOES, DAMAGING THE TOWNS OF SOSO AND BASSFIEL D. A CATASTROPHIC EF4 TORNADO DESTROY MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY IN 2021.. AND ON MARCH 22 A WEDGE TORNADO IN ST. BERNARD PARISH, LEVELING HUNDREDS OF HOMES THAT WERE STILL RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE IDA. METEOROLOGY AND STATE CLIMATOLOGIST 2:51-3:05 "WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A WARMING CLIMATE,E W ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS ON BIG SCALES. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THINGS ON THE SCALES OF A COUNTY OR STATE OR REGION, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OR E THGLOBE." SO CONFIRMING IF A WARMING CLIMATE ALTERS TORNADO ENVIRONMENTS IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE...FOR NOW. GINGER Z /EE/ GMA CHIEF METEOROLOGIST: :30-38 THERE ARE SOME REALLY SIGNIFICANT STUDIES THAT HAVE JUST STARTED TO GET DONE THAT WOULD ASSOCIATE WAA RMING OR CHANGING CLIMATE WITH A SHIFTING OF SEONASS DR. MIKE BROWN // PROFESSOR OF METEOROLOGY AND STATE CLIMATOLOGIST 4:52-5:08 WE ARE GETTING BETTER AT FORECASTING TORNADIC ENVIRONMENTS T BU THAT HAS ALL BEEN SO RECENT THAT I JUST DON'T THINK WE CAN LINK AND SAY THINGS ARE CHANGING BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T

New research is showing that climate change may be shifting more tornadoes into the southeastern states.The Magnolia State is in an area of increased tornado activity known as Dixie Alley. The area stretches from parts of Texas to Georgia. Researchers say storms in these areas are more violent, with more long-tracked tornadoes than anywhere else in the country.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says since January 2019, 99 of the nation's 120 tornado-related deaths – 83% — have occurred in the Southeast. In the 2010s, NOAA says 54% of tornado deaths occurred in the Southeast, up from 25% in the 1980s. Because of the increase in tornado deaths, NOAA launched the VORTEX-SE project in 2016 to study tornadoes in the Southeast and try to improve warnings and education on killer storms. A 2016 study from Purdue University says that climate change is linked to this increase in tornado activity. The study found that the ongoing mega-drought in the western U.S. is creating unfavorable conditions in traditional Tornado Alley, like the Southern Great Plains. In turn, this is pushing more favorable conditions for tornadoes eastward to many places, like the Southeast.Watch the video above to learn about the link between tornadoes and climate.

New research is showing that climate change may be shifting more tornadoes into the southeastern states.

The Magnolia State is in an area of increased tornado activity known as Dixie Alley. The area stretches from parts of Texas to Georgia. Researchers say storms in these areas are more violent, with more long-tracked tornadoes than anywhere else in the country.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says since January 2019, 99 of the nation's 120 tornado-related deaths – 83% — have occurred in the Southeast. In the 2010s, NOAA says 54% of tornado deaths occurred in the Southeast, up from 25% in the 1980s.

Because of the increase in tornado deaths, NOAA launched the VORTEX-SE project in 2016 to study tornadoes in the Southeast and try to improve warnings and education on killer storms.

A 2016 study from Purdue University says that climate change is linked to this increase in tornado activity. The study found that the ongoing mega-drought in the western U.S. is creating unfavorable conditions in traditional Tornado Alley, like the Southern Great Plains. In turn, this is pushing more favorable conditions for tornadoes eastward to many places, like the Southeast.

Watch the video above to learn about the link between tornadoes and climate.

Rising tornado numbers linked to climate change, study says

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