Tornadoes in Georgia??

[Mike 03]

I have to preface this by saying that the best few months of my life were spent in Georgia and Florida. I LOVE Atlanta.

But I was always told that tornado season was August and September. I remember one day working on a movie set when we had to dive into a ditch because the sky turned green. Yes, it was frightening, to say the least. But there was no mistaking the fact that the situation was serious.

Is it unusual for there to be tornadoes in Georgia this time of year?? It seems very weird to me, admitting that I'm no expert on the weather in that area.

[Warpy]

1. Strong weather systems always carry the possibility

and wasn't last year's tornado in Atlanta in March?

[Donnachaidh]

2. The first weekend we were in Georgia after leaving California because of an earthquake

The tornado alarms sang all weekend. I didn't know they had tornadoes down here. Not the Wizard of Oz sized twisters, but they can do substantial damage.

[virgogal]

3. I just heard it was snowing in Geogia. Such confusion for me.

[RubyDuby in GA]

4. We had tornados last Wednesday and tonight it is snowing

But there's no such thing as global climate change...no...:sarcasm:

[elocs]

9. Don't confuse climate and weather.

http://www.blueoregon.com/2008/12/confusing-weath.html

Let me be clear: weather is immediate and short-term. It's whatever is happening outside your window at any given time or in the past at any one point. Climate, however, is a look back at the aggregate of the weather over time. As U of O professor and author Bob Doppelt told me last year:

Weather is the daily and annual variations in local and regional climatic patterns. Climate, and climate change, is about long term 20 and 30 year trends. By looking at long term trends it is possible to see overall patterns, which show a clear global and regional warming trend.

How about the Armistice Day blizzard of 1940? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day_Blizzard:

The result was a raging blizzard that would last into the next day. Snowfalls of up to 27 inches (69 cm), winds of 50 to 80 mph (80–130 km/h), 20-foot (6.1 m) snow drifts, and 50-degree Fahrenheit (30 °C) temperature drops were common over parts of the states of Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In Minnesota, 27 inches (69 cm) of snow fell at Collegeville, and the Twin Cities recorded 16 inches (41 cm). Record low pressures were recorded in La Crosse, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota.<3> Transportation and communications were crippled, which exacerbated finding the dead and injured. The Armistice Day Blizzard ranks #2 in Minnesota's list of top-5 weather events of the 20th century.

In Wisconsin in the winter we can go from temperatures in the 50s to snowing and below zero in a few days. That's weather, not climate. When it was below zero here this winter there were people claiming, "so where is global warming?" Global warming would be a long term climate change, but weather, even freak weather, is what happens from day to day.

[RubyDuby in GA]

11. As someone who took entire course called Weather & Climate for my minor

I know the difference.

I was simply pointing out that our occurences of "freak weather" are starting to happen earlier in the year (tornados last year began in March, this year we've had 2 outbreaks in February).

And I included the line about no such thing because, being surrounded by knuckle dragging morans who vote for idiots like Saxby Chambliss, I'm sure the first thing I'll hear tomorrow is "where's that global warming?"

[elocs]

14. I had to take W&C in college also. My point is that those who disbelieve climate change

use freak weather to substantiate their opinions. Any cold weather here (wow! cold in WI?) will bring about the "where's global warming?" comments because they cannot understand the difference between global climate and the weather in any one location.

[Mabus]

5. A few years ago in Kansas

there was a winter storm warning in the county adjacent and to the east of me, a few counties to the west of me there was a severe thunderstorm watch and I was stuck in the middle watching the for tornadoes.

[virgogal]

10. I'm from the Northeast and can't imagine living in an area

where there are tornadoes,even though we had a bad one in MA in the fifties.

I like storms that give you a little waarning,like blizzards.

[Mabus]

15. It's very rare for one to just pop up

The weather conditions have to be right. If you live in the area for any length of time then you will recognize when you should be on the look out before the tornado comes. Additionally, the various generations of radar have improved to the point when they can predict tornadic activity earlier than before. They can even tell how fast the storm is moving, the direction and give you streets that are in the possible path of any storm. That usually gives you enough time to take cover.

[virgogal]

17. Thanks for the info-----technology has been wonderful for

weather forecasts,but I'll still take my blizzards and the occasional Nor'easter.

Too old to change now,I guess.

[Mabus]

21. I'm in a reverse situation

I miss my snow as much as I miss my tornado warnings. We moved out to Maryland last year so my husband could take a job in DC. I know we're not in (my wonderful, little blue bubble in) Kansas anymore.

[alsame]

6. I have relatives in Gwinnett and Forsyth counties GA and they've

had several tornado warnings in the last few weeks. And they got about 2 inches of snow earlier today.

[deadmessengers]

7. Not uncommon at all.

I can't find a cite at the moment, but it's pretty common knowledge around here that March and April are the peak of tornado season.

[conscious evolution]

13. Its the geography

Warm moist air from the gulf of mexico meets cold artic blasts at the tail end of a mountain chain.
Late winter/early spring is when the two types of air masses start converging in north georgia.
South Georgia is different.Because there are no mountains to create the a barrier that puts a spin on things like in the north their tornado season is more in line with the rest of the countrys season.

[Ilsa]

8. The weather patterns suck. Some areas of Texas have the worst drought in the US

right now. I've heard that changes in the Pacific La Nina will help us get some rain by June, though. Until then, we are predicted to remain dry.

[bamademo]

12. This is the beginning of the peak tornado season for the South.

The secondary season is in Oct/Nov.

[Elidor]

16. Early spring tornadoes in Georgia are not unusual

There were several nasty - and deadly - batches when I lived there in the 90's.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

18. Fairly common.

[certainot]

19. extreme weather events will become more frequent

with global warming-

that's just the facts

[aikoaiko]

20. These things happen from time to time.