Spatial trends in United States tornado frequency

• DOI: 10.1038/s41612-018-0048-2
• Publication Date: 2018-10-10T10:33:09Z
• Authors: Vittorio A. Gensini; Harold E. Brooks
• Keywords: Severe weather

Abstract Severe thunderstorms accompanied by tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds cause an average of 5.4 billion dollars damage each year across the United States, 10 billion-dollar events are no longer uncommon. This overall economic casualty risk—with over 600 severe thunderstorm related deaths in 2011—has prompted public scientific inquiries about impact climate change on tornadoes. We show that national annual frequencies tornado reports have remained relatively constant, but significant spatially-varying temporal trends frequency occurred since 1979. Negative tendencies occurrence been noted portions central southern Great Plains, while robust positive documented Midwest Southeast States. In addition, parameter is used as environmental covariate to increase confidence report results.