Dear Tom,
Does Europe have tornadoes?
Alex Cain Oswego, Ill.
Dear Alex,
Though about 75% of the world?s tornadoes occur in the U.S., they do occur throughout the world with the exception of the polar regions.
According to Nikolai Dotzek of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Wessling, Germany, Europe records 300 or more twisters each year, albeit most of them are weak. England’s annual average of 33 leads all other European countries. Dotzek noted that while Germany averages about 10 tornadoes each year, a strong F3 tornado (158-206 m.p.h.) occurs only about one every 40 years. One of Europe’s most destructive twisters tore through the southwest German town of Pforzheim in July, 1968 killing two and causing damage in excess of $25 million. Another strong twister hit Bognor Regis in southern England in October, 2000 doing more than $7 million of damage.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
