No Tornadoes In Alabama In April!!!! Monday Update 5:20 PM
April 30, 2012 Leave a comment
…PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT…
…NO CONFIRMED TORNADOES IN ALABAMA FOR APRIL 2012…
MERELY ONE YEAR AFTER ESTABLISHING THE RECORD FOR THE MOST TORNADOES IN A SINGLE MONTH IN ALABAMA…ACTUALLY BREAKING THE PREVIOUS ANNUAL RECORD IN A SINGLE MONTH…THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE CONFIRMED TORNADO REPORTED IN ALABAMA IN THE MONTH OF APRIL 2012. THE LAST TIME ALABAMA EXPERIENCED A TORNADO-FREE APRIL WAS IN 2004. THIS RESPITE COMES AS AN OBVIOUS RELIEF TO TORNADO STRICKEN CITIZENS OF ALABAMA…MANY OF WHOM ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE DEVASTATING APRIL 27TH 2011 OUTBREAK.
WHY SO MANY TORNADOES LAST YEAR AND SO FEW TORNADOES THIS YEAR? WHILE LAST YEAR`S PATTERN WAS FAVORABLE AND ACTIVE…FOR MUCH OF SPRING 2012 WE HAVE SEEN THE PRESENCE OF A PATTERN MORE LIKE EARLY SUMMER…WITH WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTHEAST. A BLOCKING PATTERN IN THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC HAS MOVED THE POLAR/SUBTROPICAL JETS FURTHER NORTHWARD ALLOWING FOR AN EXPANSIVE RIDGE/HIGH PRESSURE TO REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN CONUS FOR MUCH OF THE SEASON…WITH LITTLE CHANCE OF MOVING IT OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WHILE THIS PATTERN CHANGE HAS CERTAINLY REDUCED THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN ALABAMA, IT ALSO HAS BEEN CONDUCIVE FOR SHORT TERM DROUGHT, WHICH WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE BETTER WITHOUT.
WHILE WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE WITH A MUCH MORE FAVORABLE 2012 SPRING SEASON THUS FAR…EVEN WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE A REDUCED THREAT…IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN VIGILANT AS WE CLOSE OUT THE SPRING PEAK TORNADO SEASON IN ALABAMA, WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE END OF MAY.
WVUA Chief Meteorologist Richard Scott
Source: NWS Birmingham
