Earth: Foretelling Next Month's Tornadoes

Alexandria, VA - Tornadoes are notoriously difficult to forecast, with often deadly results: In 2011 in the U.S., more than 550 people were killed, a higher death toll than in the past 10 years combined. A new study on short-term climate trends offers a fresh approach to tornado forecasting that may give tornado-prone regions more warning that twisters may soon be descending.

By sorting through average atmospheric conditions in tornado-prone regions, Michael Tippett, a climate scientist at Columbia University, may have found a way to predict tornado trends. This new method could potentially help emergency relief agencies as well as communities and individuals better prepare for the volatile storms, but just how close are we to perfecting this revolutionary model? Find out at http://www.rhythmagazine.org/article/foretelling-next-months-tornadoes.

Read this story and more in the April issue of EARTH Magazine, available online now at earthmagazine.org/article/foretelling-next-months-tornadoes. Discover how ice-dwelling bacteria survive; learn about the hidden dangers of tourism; and join Voyager 1 as it probes the limits of the solar system.