January Severe Weather is Rare and Deadly

NOAA's Severe Weather Outlook (1-22-17)

The atmospheric ingredients required for severe weather are most common during the spring and summer months.  Although isolated cases of severe weather aren’t uncommon in January, the large-scale contrast between differing air masses that facilitate large severe weather outbreaks are rare.  NOAA dates indicates that the month of January averages 35 tornadoes – the third fewest of any month.  That’s what makes the current severe weather outbreak across the southeastern U.S. both historic and tragic.

2017:  More than 500 reports of severe weather, including more than six dozen tornadoes, have occurred across the southeastern U.S. during the last four days (January 19 – 22).  Unfortunately, some of these tornadoes caused fatalities and that underscores the importance of staying informed.  Some at-risk communities don’t have a tornado siren, so a good investment for your family would be a NOAA weather radio that can alert you to looming danger – day or night.  Nationally, 44 tornadoes have already occurred this month, which is more than double the 18 that occurred in January 2016.  There have also been 18 tornado-related fatalities so far this month – more than the 17 than occurred in the United States during all of last year.

2013: Another severe weather outbreak occurred on January 29-30, 2013.  There was a combined total of more than 800 severe weather reports – including wind gusts over 58 mph, hail 1” in diameter or greater, and tornadoes.  Unlike the severe weather outbreak of the last few days, this severe weather occurred primarily across the Tennessee Valley and Mid-Atlantic Region.

2008: Another rare January severe weather outbreak happened on January 7 – 11, 2008 and featured over 300 severe weather reports.  Roughly a third were tornadoes.  This round of severe weather caused five fatalities during the five-day period.  This severe weather struck from the Midwest to the East Coast.  The scope of this severe weather was unusual since the Midwest is usually in the deep freeze in January.

2006: Of the nearly 200 severe reports that occurred on January 2, 2006, from Illinois to Florida, 18 of them were tornadoes.  The severe weather on this day was impressive for the amount of geography it covered from the Great Lakes region to the Gulf Coast.