2010 Brings First Tornado-Free February
(Photo courtesy of NNSL)
While the so-called Snowmageddon and Snowicane tm blizzards that book-ended the month got much of the nation's attention, not a single tornado was reported in the United States during February 2010.
According to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), no tornadoes were reported last month.
"It's a phenomenal feat that we went a month without a tornado," said AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.
If the statistic stands, it would be the first tornado-free February in at least 60 years.
February typically has 22 tornadoes on average, based on reports dating back to 1950 from the SPC.
"Despite it being an El Nino year, which would normally mean severe weather in the South, the jet stream has been depressing cold air very far south and it has combined with cooler-than-normal Gulf of Mexico water temperatures," Margusity said. "These have led to the suppression of severe weather in February."
February's previous low was two tornado reports, occurring in both 1964 and 2002.
However, this would not be the first tornado-free month on record.
According to the SPC, only five months since 1950 have failed to turn in a tornado report: October 1952, December 1963, November 1976, January 1986 and January 2003.
While there were no tornadoes, there were 32 other reports of severe weather, according to the SPC. Nineteen severe wind events and 13 incidents of hail were reported.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 113° | Death Valley, CA |
| Low | 30° | Bellemont, AZ |
| Precip | 9.70" | Miami, FL |
WeatherWhys®
A large, horrific tornado struck the city of Joplin, Mo., last year on this date. The twister cut a deadly path across the south side of the city, leaving over 159 dead and at least 1,150 injured. The Joplin tornado currently ranks as the 7th deadliest tornado in U.S. history.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
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