2017 is off to an active start for tornadoes and we are just barely into March. So far, there have been roughly 200 tornadoes in the Continental United States. That is about double of early 2016 and about three times the average over the last three years.

In 2016 there were 901 tornadoes reported and only 17 fatalities.

The upper level pattern has been the cause, as is usually the case with most weather. The jet stream has been strong, but in a “zonal flow” from west to east over the nation. The has kept cold air confined to Canada, allowing warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to occasionally move as far north at Illinois. The strong upper level winds have created a tremendous amount of lift and wind shear, so when systems form they can quickly spin and produce tornadoes.

The year started active on Jan. 2 with tornadoes in Southern Georgia. Then another significant tornado outbreak in Georgia and Alabama in late January 21-23 with an amazing 89 confirmed tornadoes in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Central Florida had a risk of tornadoes from this outbreak on Sunday Jan. 22, but luckily conditions did not develop this far south to produce significant tornadoes.

On Feb. 7, another tornado outbreak hit the New Orleans area in Southeastern Louisiana with one EF-3 in the metro area.

South-Central Texas was hard hit by overnight tornadoes on Feb. 19-20, with an EF-2 tornado hitting San Antonio. Nine tornadoes were reported in the area.

Just this week, we saw a rare late February/early March tornado outbreak in the Midwest with deadly EF3 tornadoes in Illinois. There were 38 tornadoes in 11 states from the Feb. 28 - Mar. 1 outbreak. Unfortunately, about 20 people have been killed in the tornadoes so far this year.

Now that we are in March, the heart of the tornado season in March-May, there is no way to know if the pattern of active weather will continue. The last three tornado seasons have been relatively inactive nationwide so it is just logical that we might be in store for a more active season in 2017.

In Florida, we normally have fairly dry and tranquil weather during these three "Spring Months" as it is the end of our "dry season." But, conditions do occasionally come together for severe weather in March and April in this area so you always need to keep up with the forecasts. The good thing is these events are usually easy to highlight days out so you should have some heads-up that significant weather is on the way this time of year.

Graphic from usatornadoes.com