Latest news with #SpringOutlook
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Severe weather season begins at near-record pace in March, April
Peoria, Ill. (WMBD) — The start of the 2025 severe weather season is off to a near record start thanks to repeated rounds of severe storms in March and early April. Even in Illinois, our tornado count is quickly approaching out yearly average and peak tornado season has just begun. According to the Storm Prediction Center there have been 492 preliminary tornado reports across the country in 2025. Mississippi with 92 tornado reports leads the way with Missouri and Illinois following behind with 57 and 55 reports respectively. These reports from SPC are just preliminary and the actual number of confirmed tornadoes is likely a bit less. For instance, the National Weather Service in Lincoln says that so far there have only been 43 confirmed tornadoes across the state of Illinois. The discrepancy comes duplicate reports of the same tornado or gustnadoes that have been misidentified. The official count comes after the NWS has gone out and completed damage surveys to verify where tornadoes have actually occurred. Based on SPC's preliminary reports, this is the third fastest start to tornado season since 2010. Through April 8th, the country experienced 536 tornadoes in 2017, 530 tornadoes in 2023, and 492 in 2025. The fast start to severe weather season hasn't been overly surprising as the Spring Outlook suggested an active pattern, and a pattern that's likely to continue. Research has linked La Niña winters, which we experienced this winter, to increased tornado activity across portions of the Midwest. In a 2017 blog on the ENSO Blog team was able to show how both El Niño and La Niña tend to influence the environment for hail and tornadoes. This research found that more favorable environments for tornadoes and hail were more frequent across the Mississippi River Valley during a La Niña influenced pattern compared to El Niño. We've had a nice break for severe weather this week but the pattern could once again turn more favorable for severe weather towards the later half of the month, so enjoy it while it's here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NOAA's new astronomical spring weather outlook paints a familiar tune
Forecasters from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center have released their best predictions for what the climate will look like during astronomical spring, which runs through June 20. The key takeaways from the outlook are largely unsurprising: above-average temperatures are expected across much of the country, with ongoing drought conditions in the Southwest. Due to the warmth and dryness, a large portion of the U.S. is also expected to experience a reduced risk of widespread flooding along major rivers. "The Spring Outlook provides critical information for our partners — including those in agriculture, shipping, and recreation — allowing them to prepare for what's ahead this spring and maximize their economic potential," Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, said in a statement. The areas most likely to see increased precipitation are confined to the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest. Due to the increased cloud cover associated with rainy weather, these regions are also expected to have the best chances of experiencing average or even below-average temperatures. When Will The Cherry Blossoms Peak In Washington This Spring? NOAA forecasters do not expect La Niña or El Niño to play a significant role in weather patterns this spring, meaning localized weather patterns will have a more substantial impact than any nationwide climate event. The neutral status of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or what is sometimes referred to as "La Nada," is characterized by water temperature anomalies in the eastern and central Pacific that fall between 0.5°C and -0.5°C. ENSO-neutral conditions are not typically associated with an active spring severe weather season, although air temperatures are generally warmer across the nation as a whole. NOAA reports that moderate-to-exceptional drought conditions currently affect about 40% of the continental U.S., exacerbated by a lack of significant snowfall during the previous winter. Many northern regions experienced double-digit snowfall deficits, as winter storm systems lacked the moisture needed to provide communities with the snow they rely on for a significant portion of their annual precipitation. Further south, areas such as the Southwest, Florida and the Southeast are expected to remain at heightened fire danger until significant precipitation arrives - which likely won't happen until after the start of meteorological summer. Is There A Weather Phenomenon Known As The Atlantic Nina? Meteorological summer begins on June 1 and runs through August, while astronomical summer will begin with the summer solstice on Friday, June 20, at 10:41 p.m., and lasts through the fall equinox on September 22, 2025. Meteorological seasons are based on calendar months, as it provides a more straightforward way for forecasters to compare weather patterns. Astronomical seasons, however, are based on the position of Earth and the Sun and do not account for meteorological article source: NOAA's new astronomical spring weather outlook paints a familiar tune
