February Tornadoes Could Triple U.S. Average After Latest Outbreak

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - It's been a busy month for tornadoes in the United States with a preliminary count of 58 since Feb. 22.

That number will climb higher after the Feb. 23-24 outbreak where at least a half-dozen people lost their lives when several dozen tornadoes hit from Louisiana to Virginia.

While February tornadoes happen almost every year in the United States they're often weak and usually aren't killers.

According to NOAA's National Climatic Data Center, the 20-year average for February tornadoes in the United States is 29.

Ironically, just one year ago, the United States recorded it's second lowest number of February tornadoes since modern records began in 1950. There were two; one in California and one in Florida.

The highest number of U.S. February tornadoes was 147 in 2008.

In Colorado, February tornadoes are very rare. There have only been two recorded since 1950.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.