Fewer deaths in the 2018 Tornado Season?
By: Chris Michaels
The United States as a whole is having what National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls, “an incredibly quiet tornado season.”
As of June 4, there have been 449 reported tornadoes in the country. Keep in mind that reports are not all confirmed tornadoes, some have not been validated yet, and may never be as reports overlap or there is not enough damage to assess. On average, we normally see 792 tornado reports by this time of the year.
So far this year, there have only been four tornadoes rated EF-3 or higher in the country. On average, there are 37 tornadoes within this range per year in the U.S. Since more than 85 percent of tornado fatalities occur in EF-3 tornadoes or stronger, there have been significantly less fatalities this year than normal as well. Alongside these numbers increased public awareness has also helped lower the number of overall deaths.
It’s always good to have a safety plan and continually keep it up to date. Make sure your family, friends, and co-workers are aware of that plan, whether it be at home or at work. It should always be ready to be put into action should a tornado warning be issued wherever you are, and practice is always recommended for this kind of precaution.
Summary: Low fatalities have been reported up to this point for tornadoes in the United States, due to below average activity this season and increased safety efforts.