May 2021 marked the first occasion in over 70 years that the U.S. did not see a tornado rated stronger then an EF3 on Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The EF Scale, which is based on wind speeds and damage, is used to give a tornado a rating.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in a Twitter announcement, stated that May’s severe weather reports were “below average,” but that tornado reports were close to the 10-year average.
“May 2021 had eighteen least tornado watches ever since 1970,” the agency stated via a thread.
“So far, only 8 EF2+ storms have been confirmed for May 2021. It would be the 5th-lowest number of May significant tornades in recorded history (1950-present),” it was added.
NOAA data shows that from 1991 to 2010, the May average was 276 tornadoes, while the average for 2011 to 2020 is 272. In May 2021, there were 289 preliminary reports of tornadoes in the United States.
However, severe weather reporting was 720 reports lower than the 2011 to 2020 average: down 2 756 from 3 476.
For the first time in seven years, the U.S. had no tornado fatalities in May – a relief for Gulf Coast and Southern states accustomed to unprecedented amounts of tornado activity.
AccuWeather reported that May 2020 saw 13 consecutive days with at least eight tornado reports in a row.
The outlet also stated that although no EF5 tornadoes were reported in the U.S. over the past eight years, some meteorologists believe that the National Weather Service has underrated tornadoes.
AccuWeather explained why May saw so little activity. They cited the high temperatures that have swept the country in the beginning of the summer. This highlights the fact that tornado numbers tend to drop in the warmer months.
Source: Fox News
