Climate Change May Cause Tornado Storm Severity and Density to Increase

Climate change may be causing more droughts, but did you know that it might be causing more tornados? New research reveals that a changing climate may be playing a key role in the strength and frequency of tornadoes hitting the United States.

The United States actually experiences more tornadoes than any other country. In 2011 alone, nearly 1,700 storms killed more than 550 people. In 2014, there have been 189 storms with a death toll of 43.

That said, tornadoes are actually forming fewer days per year. But when they do form, it's a doozy. They're form at greater density and strength than ever before. This means that instead of one or two forming on a given day in an area, it's more likely that three or more will form.

In this case, the researchers examined climate data in order to look at both the severity in the types of storms and how many were occurring at a time. This deviates from previous studies, which merely looked at how many days per year that tornadoes were forming.

"We may be less threatened by tornadoes on a day-to-day basis, but when they do come, they come like there's no tomorrow," said James Elsner, the lead researcher, in a news release. "I think it's important for forecasters and the public to know this. It's a matter of making sure the public is aware that if there is a higher risk of a storm, there may actually be multiple storms in a day."

The findings reveal that while we may get more sunny days, the days that are stormy are likely to be hazardous. It's important to take these types of weather patterns seriously, especially in areas that are prone to them within the U.S., such as tornado alley.

The findings are published in the journal Climate Dynamics.