Tornado Severity may be Influenced by Climate Change

Much of a tornado's  strength and height may be determined by climate change, according to researchers at Florida State University.

As it stands, the United States experiences more tornadoes than any other country, despite growing advances in technology and warning systems to determine soon-to-be weather risks.

"We may be less threatened by tornadoes on a day-to-day basis, but when they do come, they come like there's no tomorrow," said lead study author and professor at the university, James Elsner, in a news release. 

Elsner noted that though fewer tornadoes seem to be wreaking havoc on parts of the United States, the ones that wipe through towns are much harsher and destructive. He added that on a given day, instead of one or two forming in a single area, there's more likely for three or four to develop.

In the past, many researchers had dismissed the impact of climate change having any effect on tornadoes. According to Elsner, as there was no distinct pattern in the number of tornado days per year, many researchers dropped the idea of this possibility. Furthermore, in 1971 there were 187 tornado days. In 2013, there were only 79.

Yet a deeper investigation into the data showed more severity with certain types of storms.

"I think it's important for forecasters and the public to know this," Elsner added. "It's a matter of making sure the public is aware that if there is a higher risk of a storm, there may actually be multiple storms in a day."

In the 2011 tornado season, close to 1,700 storms killed over 550 people. So far, 2014 links 189 storms to 43 deaths, according to the NOAA/National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

Though Elsner concluded that many of the geographic spots that are greatly impacted by tornadoes do not appear to be growing, something needs to be done to control the strength and severity of future weather issues.