It appears there were more tornadoes across the U.S. this year in the month of March than ever before — possibly by a large margin.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, there were more than 250 tornadoes reported in March throughout the U.S. but mostly in the states of Mississippi, Texas, Iowa, Alabama and Florida. Louisiana also saw strong tornadoes.
Some work needs to be done to confirm the reported twisters and exclude duplicate reports, but experts indicate the record of 192 tornadoes in March 2017 will likely be broken. There were 191 tornadoes in March in 2021, though that number remains preliminary. Record-keeping of tornadoes began in 1950.
Severe convective storms—which include tornadoes, straight-line winds, lightning and hail—can be a significant driver of losses for insurers. According to catastrophe modeler RMS, the combined average annual insured loss is over $18 billion in the U.S. and Canada.
Severe convective storms caused $26.7 billion in losses in 2021, according to Aon. There were 1,376 tornadoes in the U.S. in 2021 compared with 1,075 in 2020, according to preliminary data from NOAA.
Though tornadoes can occur at any time of year, the spring typically spawns the most twisters because conditions in the atmosphere are ripe. Like hurricanes, warm sea water helps tornadoes and convective storms form, even far from the ocean. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said higher-than-normal water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to the tornado count in March.
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