On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States

Abstract Correlation was examined between detrended monthly surface temperature and monthly [E]F-1+ tornadoes and tornado days for several contiguous US regions during the period 1954–2022. This relatively simple, yet robust, analysis indicated that regional temperature fluctuations are moderately-t...

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Main Authors: Kimberly A. Hoogewind, Vittorio A. Gensini, Harold E. Brooks
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00993-2
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author Kimberly A. Hoogewind
Vittorio A. Gensini
Harold E. Brooks
author_facet Kimberly A. Hoogewind
Vittorio A. Gensini
Harold E. Brooks
author_sort Kimberly A. Hoogewind
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Correlation was examined between detrended monthly surface temperature and monthly [E]F-1+ tornadoes and tornado days for several contiguous US regions during the period 1954–2022. This relatively simple, yet robust, analysis indicated that regional temperature fluctuations are moderately-to-strongly correlated with tornado days during some months and in certain regions. In general, surface temperatures during boreal cool (warm) season had a positive (negative) correlation with tornado days. Implications for using a continuous, simple scalar variable such as surface temperature for tornado prediction are discussed, as well as the potential utility for understanding changes in tornado frequency due to climate variability and change.
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publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
spelling doaj-art-8a00cf03a5e640d1bedb98ef2d5ecd5a2025-08-20T02:49:32ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate and Atmospheric Science2397-37222025-03-018111310.1038/s41612-025-00993-2On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United StatesKimberly A. Hoogewind0Vittorio A. Gensini1Harold E. Brooks2Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations, University of OklahomaDepartment of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment, Northern Illinois UniversityNOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms LaboratoryAbstract Correlation was examined between detrended monthly surface temperature and monthly [E]F-1+ tornadoes and tornado days for several contiguous US regions during the period 1954–2022. This relatively simple, yet robust, analysis indicated that regional temperature fluctuations are moderately-to-strongly correlated with tornado days during some months and in certain regions. In general, surface temperatures during boreal cool (warm) season had a positive (negative) correlation with tornado days. Implications for using a continuous, simple scalar variable such as surface temperature for tornado prediction are discussed, as well as the potential utility for understanding changes in tornado frequency due to climate variability and change.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00993-2
spellingShingle Kimberly A. Hoogewind
Vittorio A. Gensini
Harold E. Brooks
On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
title On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
title_full On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
title_fullStr On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
title_full_unstemmed On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
title_short On the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the United States
title_sort on the relationship between monthly mean surface temperature and tornado days in the united states
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-025-00993-2
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AT haroldebrooks ontherelationshipbetweenmonthlymeansurfacetemperatureandtornadodaysintheunitedstates