Tornado season arrives in the Midwest
Wet conditions could lead to increased tornado incidence.
Spring is tornado season for much of the Midwest.
Wet weather could make this year’s season particularly active, according to a recent report by the Wichita Eagle.
“In March and April, we have these weather systems come through that would be tornado-prolific, except they don’t typically have enough moisture to work with,” Mike Smith, president of WeatherData Inc., told the newspaper. “That’s not going to be a problem this year.”
A “green-line” created by wheat growth causes water to transfer from the soil to the atmosphere. These conditions contributed to the Greensburg tornado outbreak of 2007, which destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and vehicles, and may occur later in this year’s season. The jet stream is also being redirected through Tornado Alley by a high pressure dome in British Columbia.
Most home insurance policies cover for damage related to windstorms and tornadoes. Kansas experienced the highest number of deaths related to these incidents in 2008, according to information from the Insurance Information Institute.
If a tornado watch has been issued, homeowners should move their cars and yard equipment inside in order to prevent them from becoming dangerous projectiles. They may also want to take an inventory of their possessions to assist in the claim filing process.
Posted: March 9, 2010
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