This year has already had its fair share of tornadoes since it began, and these numbers are only growing. The tornado count from January to April is the second highest it’s been since 1991. In total, we’ve had 422 reported tornadoes and 300 confirmed tornadoes this year. These tornadoes are classified in 6 types, all varying in wind speed and destructive power.

An EF-0 tornado has very low speeds ranging from 65-85 mph and causes minor damage like ripping off roof shingles and destroying rain gutters. An EF-3 has higher wind speeds of 136-165 mph and can completely remove small buildings from their foundations.

 The biggest type of tornado that has been confirmed can be classified as an EF-5. These tornadoes are extremely dangerous and have wind speeds exceeding 200 mph. EF-5 tornadoes will tear large trees from their roots and break steel-reinforced concrete structures. Poorly built tornado bunkers have been ripped out of the ground by EF-5 tornadoes, especially if they were built on a loose foundation, such as sand or fine gravel. 

The most common area within the US where tornadoes appear is the Great Plains. Tornadoes form here more frequently than other areas because the Great Plains are right in the center of a wind front where hot air and cold air meet. The different temperatures of air swirl around each other and cause what we call tornadoes.

Tornadoes do not form in Colorado frequently because we are not in the wind front that causes them. So, TRHS doesn’t have to worry about tornadoes. However, global warming is making weather patterns harder to predict because it is slowly changing the way global winds flow. 

The ice caps are melting, causing cold, fresh water to enter the oceans. This not only is slightly changing the pH of the ocean, but it is also changing the ocean currents. The cold water is running into warm water currents and changing their direction or stopping them completely. The ocean currents have a huge influence on the global wind currents because the wind and water currents travel in the same direction, and complement each other. If the ocean currents were to change direction, then the wind would slowly begin to change with it.

The ocean currents are slowly moving and changing, so the wind currents are as well. This is causing the wind fronts to unexpectedly appear in places that they otherwise wouldn’t, and this is one of the reasons that we do tornado drills in Colorado even though tornadoes don't usually form here.

Tornadoes are a threat to everyone and tornado awareness should be higher so more people know what tornadoes do and how much damage they can cause. Some good charities that support tornado victims and help repair damaged property from tornadoes are All Hands and Hearts, American Red Cross, and CARE USA. To learn more about these organizations check out the links provided below. 

All Hands and Hearts: https://www.allhandsandhearts.org/ 

American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/ 

CARE USA: https://www.care.org/