How common are winter tornadoes? It depends on the month, NWS says

Despite an unseasonably warm few weeks and an early spring forecast from Buckeye Chuck, Columbus still finds itself technically in the middle of winter.

You might have been shocked to see, then, that the National Weather Service forecasted thunderstorms, high winds, hail and even tornadoes for Tuesday and Wednesday. In just a few days, the weather has gone from winter wonderland to wind tunnel.

But late February storms and tornadoes are not as uncommon as they used to be.

Here’s what you need to know about winter tornadoes:

How common are winter tornadoes?

December and January are “the lowest months” for tornado formation, National Weather Service meteorologist Nate Mcginnis said.

January tornadoes, in particular, are so rare that Ohio recorded its first just over four years ago on January 11, 2020.

Tornadoes and thunderstorms need heat and moisture to form, two things that are hard to come by during the year’s coldest and driest months, Mcginnis said.

As for February, severe weather and tornadoes form “fairly commonly” late in the month when winter begins to wane, Mcginnis said.

“As you get to the end of February, you’re really starting to jump into spring,” he said.

Severe weather and tornadoes in winter may become more common in the future, Mcginnis said, as the region’s climate shifts toward earlier springs and later falls.

“We’re just increasing the time of the year in which tornadoes are becoming more likely. Not necessarily because there’s anything special in regard to tornadoes but because of what we said in the very beginning: more heat, more moisture,” he said.

When have winter tornadoes hit the region before?

The NWS Wilmington office, which covers southwestern and central Ohio along with areas of Kentucky and Indiana, has recorded winter tornadoes almost every year since 2012. There were four winter tornadoes in 2014, three in 2015, five in 2016, one in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, and two in 2023.

Exactly a year ago today, four small tornadoes touched down near Middletown, New Carlisle, Orient and Edna, uprooting trees, flipping manufactured homes and destroying a barn, according to NWS records.

One of the region’s most recent and destructive tornado outbreaks occurred during winter on March 2, 2012, when 12 EF0 to EF4 tornadoes formed over northern Kentucky and southern Ohio, Mcginnis said.

The NWS has only recorded one winter tornado in

Franklin County; an EF3 twister touched down on February 22, 1971, injuring seven people and causing $2.5 million in property damage.

What should you do to stay safe?

Despite snow covering the ground just a few days ago, it’s important for residents to have a plan for shelter as spring and severe weather season begin to loom, Mcginnis said.

“It doesn’t matter which month it’s occurring, you should always be prepared with a plan,” he said.

This week’s unseasonable weather may also be a “good reminder” for families to review their safety plans with children and grandparents, Mcginnis said.

In the case of a tornado warning, the NWS recommends:

● Putting as many walls between you and the outside as possible by moving to an interior room or closet

● Getting as low as possible; basements and ground floors are the safest

● Staying away from windows, doors and outside walls

● Protecting your head with furniture, helmets, or your hands

● If you’re caught outside, either stay in your vehicle and protect your head or lie flat in a ditch or other low point

● Do not shelter under highway overpasses @Partofmyhart Nhart@gannett.com