While severe weather can occur at any time of year, certain regions are more prone to tornadoes. This means that it's important for people to know when peak tornado season occurs in their area.
Tornadoes form when warm, moist air collides with cold, dry air during thunderstorms. The spinning currents in these clouds become a tornado and can travel for miles and cause significant damage.
During the winter, tornadoes are most likely to develop in Texas and Oklahoma due to the relative warmth of the Gulf of Mexico. But they also appear in parts of the South during the winter, primarily near the U.S.-Canada border, where cold air from Canada meets the warmer Gulf air.
A study found that from 1979 through 2017, the average tornado activity moved further east, and in some areas became more frequent. This shift was driven by storm tracks that typically travel eastward and are more likely to hit later in the day, Gensini said.
In the southeast, tornadoes are much more common, Sullivan said. In fact, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties have seen tornadoes more frequently than any other part of the state since 1950 - more than once every four years on average.
If you see a tornado or hear sirens, go to a safe shelter immediately. This can be a sturdy building or a pre-designated area such as a safe room. Mobile homes, even if tied down, don't provide any protection from tornadoes, so be sure to get quickly to the nearest sturdy building or pre-designated area.
