Tornado Season Began This Week And Has Already Turned Fatal

A surprise tornado struck southern Michigan yesterday leaving at least 4 dead and at least 12 others injured. Two people in Oklahoma were killed by an apparent tornado, the Storm Prediction Center reported.

Tornado season lasts from March to June. Last year, these storms killed 68 Americans. Depending on heat conditions, tornado season varies from state to state and lasts as late as November in Louisiana.

In 2025,  there were 1,500 storms. Long-range forecasters predict 1,050 to 1,250 tornadoes this year

The question is whether climate change is a factor?

The New York Times says, “The ingredients that give rise to tornadoes include warm, moist air at ground level; cool dry air higher up; and wind shear, which is the change in wind speed or direction. Each of these factors may be affected differently by climate change.”

Long range tornado forecasts are virtually impossible. The storms can form in a matter of minutes and disappear as quickly. The largest ones can be as wide as three miles and pack winds as high as 300 MPH

Tornadoes are often part of weather systems married with flood causing storms and heavy hail which increases their danger exponentially.

One promising advance is that AI based forecast tools can be much more accurate than the physics based ones used today. Current models in wide use include ones from Google and chip giant Nvidia.