This Spring Is Forecast To Be The Most Active Tornado Season Nebraska Has Seen In Years
Here in Nebraska, we’re no strangers to severe weather. Beginning in early spring and stretching all the way to fall, our severe weather season often brings massive thunderstorms, high-speed winds, and destructive tornadoes. Accuweather is predicting that the 2019 season will be one of the most active we’ve seen in quite a while.
According to Accuweather, the traditional Tornado Alley will see more severe weather action in 2019 than in the several years prior. This includes Kansas and Oklahoma as well as parts of Texas and most of Nebraska.
So far this spring, our biggest worry has been flooding. We're still recovering from the widespread destructive flooding that took place in March. As the season goes on, the rain and thunderstorms that have been hanging around will likely spawn a few more severe weather situations.
In 2016, 2017, and 2018, we saw fewer tornadoes than average. In fact, the 2018 season set a rather wonderful record: fewer Americans were killed by tornadoes that year than in any previous year since record-keeping began in 1875.
That three-year lull is, in part, what will make this year's steep increase in tornadoes and other severe weather seem so extreme. There's also the fact that a warmer-than-average sea surface temperature in the Gulf of Mexico will lead to increased air moisture. That can in turn lead to the development of more severe weather than normal.
There's no need to panic, though. While this will be the most active tornado season we've seen in several years, that doesn't mean it's going to be a year filled with endless tornadoes. The numbers are simply predicted to run closer to their historic averages than they have in a few years.
Still, when you live in Nebraska it pays to be prepared. Be sure to have a safety plan and outfit your shelter with enough food, water, and necessary medications to last the entire family several days. Have a hand-crank or battery-operated radio and flashlight on hand, as well, in case you lose power.
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
