To make sure everything is working correctly, a statewide tornado safety drill will be held Wednesday, March 24, with test warnings at 11:00 a.m. CT and 10:00 a.m. MT. NOAA Weather asks, “Do you and your family know what to do if a tornado threatens?” Make a plan of action now before it’s too late.
That said, 2020 was a “down” year for tornadoes in Nebraska. Only 21 tornadoes were reported which is less than half of the 30 year average of 51. Interestingly, the majority of the tornadoes were reported in central and western Nebraska.
Over the last 15 years, tornado numbers have generally declined on average across the state on a yearly basis. While there are some short term weather and climaterelated trends which can influence severe weather frequency, such as drought or El Nino or La Nina, the exact reason for the longer decline is unknown.
However, we can’t let our guard down. The NWS hopes you will check the many safety facts and terms so you and your loved ones will be safe before, during and after the storm.
The 2020 Nebraska Tornado and Severe Weather facts are as follows:
• Tornadoes - 21, 20 less than the 1950-2020 average of 41 and 30 less than the 30 year average of 51.
• Deaths - 0, injuries 0.
• Longest track - 4.2 miles, July 8, near Silver Creek in Merrick County.
• Greatest width - 250 yards, July 2, near Marsland in Dawes County.
• Strongest - EF2, July 2, near Marsland in Dawes County.
• Most in a county - three in Custer and Perkins Counties.
• Days with at least one confirmed tornado - 11.
• Most in one day - five on June 8, and again on July 8.
• Most in one month - eight in June.
• First tornado of 2020 - May 22 near Barnestron in Gage County.
• Last tornado of 2020 - August 14 near Saronville in Clay County.
• Hail size - 3.25 inches on August 15, near Hemingford, Box Butte County.
• Wind Gust - estimated 100 mph, July 10, near Milburn in Custer County.
Measured - 94 mph on July 8, Sidney Airport in Cheyenne County.
This terminology is helpful in times of storms and can be viewed at www.weather.gov/safety:
Watch - Be prepared! This is issued by the Storm Prediction Center, and is issued hours ahead. Be alert. Watch area are typically large, covering numerous counties and even states. Check forecast for updates frequently and monitor sky conditions. It’s important to know where to take shelter.
Warning - Take action!!!! This is issued by the NWS forecast offices. Time frame: Severe weather in the area is imminent. Take shelter!
Warning areas are small, perhaps a handful of counties at most. Continue to check forecast updates as conditions can change rapidly. Take shelter!
A thunderstorm is considered severe when it produces a quarter size hail one inch or larger; winds of 58 mph or higher; a tornado.
A flash flood is rapid water rising that occurs with little to no advanced warning. Usually the result of intense rainfall in a short time. It can also be caused by dam\levee failures or ice jams.
A funnel shaped appendage extending from a cloud is associated with a violently rotating column of air. It is NOT in contact with the ground.
A violently rotating column of air from a cloud that IS in contact with the ground is a tornado. Be cautious! The tornado may not be visible until it has picked up dirt and debris. Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well made structure, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year. Although tornadoes are most common in the Central Plains and the southeastern United States, they have been reported in all 50 states. Are you prepared?
Lightning is fascinating to watch, but is also extremely dangerous. In the United States, there are approximately 25 million lightning strikes every year. Each of those flashes is a potential killer. While lightning fatalities have decreased over the past 30 years, it remains a threat that needs to be taken seriously. Too many people wait far too long to get to safe shelter when thunderstorms approach. These delayed actions lead to many of the lightning deaths and injuries reported each year.
Though lightning strikes peak in summer, people are struck year round. In the U.S. an average of at lest 20 people are killed each year by lightning and hundreds more are injured. Some survivors suffer lifelong health problems.
The spring outlook for Cherry County shows that we’re in a moderate drought; that NOAA is favoring above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across Nebraska. This outlook is being largely driven by La Nina conditions across the tropical Pacific Ocean which can influence the position of the jet stream and hence, weather across the region.
But what about severe weather? With a general poleward shift of the jet stream during La Nina years, several research studies have shown a moisture transport\ instability shift that favors the development of severe storms across parts of Nebraska. So overall, this spring is favored to be warmer and drier than normal, and we continue to expect severe storms and tornadoes. In fact, after a couple of years of less active severe weather seasons, we actually could see an uptick in severe weather.
With that said...make your tornado and severe weather plans now!
