CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – A tornado outbreak has left at least six people dead and caused significant damage as severe weather moved from the South to the Midwest.
The storms occurred in early March, a period when such intense activity is typically focused further south. The outbreak was driven by a combination of unseasonable warmth and a powerful jet stream.
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While severe weather season usually peaks in early spring near the Gulf Coast before shifting north, recent temperature spikes across the United States created a recipe for early-season tornadoes in the northern tier of states. Joseph Dellicarpini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explained that storm activity typically follows a specific geographic pattern during this time of year.
“Normally in March, the severe weather season is kinda focused more toward the Gulf Coast and Southern Plains,” Dellicarpini said. “Eventually, as we head through the spring, we start to see that shift more in the Great Lakes.” He noted that for the Great Lakes region, severe weather is more common during June, July, and August…