Severe Weather...on the Increase!

It has been a busy severe weather season all across the country, and that includes us here in Southeastern North Carolina.

Last year we only had 87 confirmed reports of severe hail and wind and we are already up to 120 this year. We only had two tornadoes last year and are already up to eleven this year. These statistics are according to Steve Pfaff, the local Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

But why have we had more severe weather this year? Well first of all, the polar jet remained parked to the north for most of the severe weather season. It is what allows the cold air to filter into the area. And with the warmer temperatures, we have had more opportunities for storms to develop. And we have also had an active subtropical jet, which means more moisture and instability for storms to form.

Is more severe weather on the way? In one word, yes! Severe weather can occur anytime of the year, as we saw with the Riegelwood tornado in November 2006. Our main severe weather season however is April through August. The reason we typically don’t see as much activity later in the summer as we do in the spring is that the jet stream usually retreats to the north at that point allowing things to quiet down somewhat. But remember that we can get severe weather with tropical cyclones too, as if the actual tropical system itself isn’t bad enough!

The bottom line is that we will have more severe weather along the Cape Fear Coast, so make sure you are ready. My advice to you is to purchase a NOAA weather radio. They will inform you of severe weather warnings issued for your county 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can purchase them for as little as $30 online.