Does Climate Change Contribute to the Formation of Tornadoes?

Extreme weather events are more common thanks to climate change. The recent tornado disasters that occurred in the United States are among the most deadly and destructive in history. Tornadoes happening so late in the year with such a destructive scale have fueled the topic of how climate change might have contributed to this natural disaster. This has caused people to build safe shelter rooms in their houses.

Read on to know whether climate change influences tornadoes.

What are Tornadoes, and How do They Occur?

Tornadoes are described as narrow, aggressively rotating air columns. Tornadoes extend from a thunderstorm to the ground and can be among the most disastrous natural calamities. Tornadoes are powerful enough to rip houses apart, tear down infrastructures, and send debris flying.

Tornadoes can happen at any time of the year in the United States. Historically, they have been linked with the Great Plains; however, the professionals say this idea can be deceptive because tornadoes are a moving threat. Tornadoes move in the cooler months of the year from the Southeast toward the central and southern Plains In May and June. They move to the Midwest and northern Plains during early summer.

How is Tornado Season Changing because of Climate

Scientists are theorizing how climate change impacts tornadoes. Moist, warm air flows under cool, dry air forming unstable atmospheric circumstances. As warm air ascends towards cooler air, the sudden change in the wind’s direction can spin this upward-moving air and create a tornado.

Global warming releases more heat into the atmosphere, which creates more energy that can provide for tornadoes. Tornadoes in December are rare because it is a cool month; however, the US is going through unusual warmth along with the Gulf of Mexico, where the moisture is fueling tornado-forming thunderstorms.

More heat means bigger tornado outbreaks because of bigger energy. There can be more time between the outbreaks, but it will give rise to more tornadoes spinning off when it happens. However, the role of climate change in tornado formation remains unclear.

If you are concerned about the changing climate conditions and want to install a tornado shelter in Tulsa, you can contact Oklahoma Shelters. Our shelter professionals install safe rooms and storm shelters of quality safety standards to provide maximum safety. If you have any questions, you can call us and talk to our representative for any queries.