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Warm, moist air drawn north from the Gulf of Mexico is a “key
ingredient” in tornadoes that Illinois has experienced every
single month of 2023, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist and Senior
Vice President Jonathan Porter said.
“In fact, the Gulf of Mexico is some 2 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit
above historic averages over the winter,” Porter said.
This is contributing to increased tornadoes outside the
traditional Tornado Alley, including states like Kansas and
Nebraska, according to Porter.
“It’s a reminder that in a changing climate, a warming climate,
impacts from severe weather are being compounded,” Porter said.
“They’re happening in places and times of the year when people
might not necessarily expect them.”
Twisters kicked off the year in January, February and March in
Illinois, and they contributed to the state’s count of 97
tornadoes as of Aug. 5, up from the historical average of 54 per
year, Porter said.
Porter reminded residents that tornado season is expected to
deliver another spike in the fall, which leaves Illinois poised
to break the record for twisters in the state, a whopping 144
such storms in 2006.
“It’s possible that actually 2023 may break that record … and be
the most active year for tornadoes in the state of Illinois,”
Porter said.
With effective storm warning systems, however, residents can
take action to save their lives if they heed alerts and develop
a safety plan. Porter suggested AccuWeather’s free alert system
to spring the family into action even if a twister hits at
night.
Porter stressed the importance of designating interior rooms as
places to go to save lives during severe weather. Often, these
rooms are the only structure remaining when a tornado has ripped
through an area, he said.
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