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Database/Severe Weather Climatology » Tornado Climatology |
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| Tornado Climatology for Huntsville Forecast Area.
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| 1874 - February 2004
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Severe thunderstorms can bring
with them many dangerous and costly impacts. Tornadoes can be the most deadly and destructive product of a severe thunderstorm
. These powerful entities can reach wind speeds of 200 mph to over 300 mph in stronger tornadoes. (F2 to F5 tornadoes)
The August maximum of Huntsville Forecast area tornado occurrences observed in Figure above is heavily biased by the Hurricane
Danny outbreak on 08/16/1985, which produced 12 tornadoes. Thus the long term monthly climatology for tornadoes in Huntsville Forecast area is characterized
by two periods of peak tornado activity: the spring months of March, April,and May, and the fall
month of November. During these months, atmospheric conditions are favorable for tornado formation
and development. These two periods are separated by an extended lull in activity from June through
October. The exceptions during this quiet period are usually due to hurricane activity,
as with Danny in August of 1985.
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| The hourly distribution of tornadoes is depicted above
. Most tornadoes in the Huntsville Forecast Area occurred between 11 AM (1100 CST) and Midnight (0000 CST)
The two most notable peak periods of activity occur in the
early afternoon and evening hours. The highest level of activity is between 4 PM (1600 CST) and
7 PM (1900 CST). A second smaller peak in activity is seen between Noon (1200 CST)
and 3 PM (1501 CST). The most tornadoes during any single hour in the CWA occur
between 1600 CST (4 PM) and 1701 CST (5:01 PM).
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| No well-defined pattern is noted when analyzing Figure 5, although a broad cyclic maximum of
tornadoes occurs about every 10 to 15 years. Also, several years of peak tornadic activity of
10 or more tornadoes are evident. The most active year for tornadic activity occurred in 1985
with 16 tornadic events. This maximum was caused by the interaction of Hurricane Danny with a
frontal boundary over the southeast U.S. There are many other maximums including the infamous 1974 outbreak (most of these
tornadoes were due to the April 3, Super Outbreak)
The Huntsville Forecast Area averages more than 4 tornadoes per year and
slightly more than 2 tornado days(days in which at least 1 tornado occurs in the Huntsville forecast area)
per year.
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| Special Thanks to the following people for use of the photographs on top of page:
Dave Crowley at www.stormguy.com - Gust Front Picture, Warren Faidley at www.Weatherstock.com - Lightning Picture, and Sam Todd - Limestone Tornado Picture. |
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