Dear Tom,
When does tornado season begin here?
— Rich Dobbins, rural northern Illinois
Dear Rich,
Your question brings to mind an important fact: Wintry conditions prevailing across Chicago and northern Illinois at the moment are distracting us from the climatological certainty that the Illinois tornado season has begun.
The four-month period from March through June comprises the tornado season in Illinois because history tells us more tornadoes occur in the state during this period than at other times of the year.
The Great Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, serves as a sobering reminder that the tornado season is upon us. The tornado formed in southeast Missouri, crossed the Mississippi River, carved a continuous path of destruction across southern Illinois, then dissipated in southeast Indiana.
It was the nation’s largest, longest (219-mile path), fastest, most destructive and deadliest tornado (claiming 695 lives, with 606 in Illinois.)
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Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or: asktomwhy@wgntv.com
Weather Report is prepared by the WGN-TV Weather Center, where Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN News at noon and 9 p.m.
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