Were April’s Tornadoes Leading to 2012?

Looking over the data of 2011’s April weather season it’s difficult to imagine that something intensely unusual is going on.  With armchair weather experts looking over the same data a few conclusions have been drawn – and some of them are being shared by meteorologists.  Not only were 2011’s April tornadoes record breaking, the data suggests they were utterly smashed on a scale we didn’t think possible before this year.  It seems from this data we will not have to wait until 2012 for these major Earth changes to take place.  They’re already here.

The story starts in April of 2009 when scientists first looked back on the previous month and tallied up the number of tornadoes that had occurred that year.  They were shocked by what they found.  Over 270 tornadoes had been reported in that month alone.  Stunned by the incredible almost record breaking, the world reeled happy to have it over with.  What followed in May was a comparable 227 tornadoes.  But this was but a shadow of 2008’s may onslaught of wind storms which in May brought about 597 devastating whirlwinds.  It was also one of few years when April’s tornadoes surpassed May’s in number.  The trend suggests the average April number would be approximately 116 each year.  In recent years, however, that number has been shattered several times – including this year.

At the end of 2011 scientists at the NOAA counted 875 tornadoes in a single month.  The previous record according to the chart of confirmed tornadoes that were seen on the ground by qualified witnesses in that month was 267 in 1974, though there were 270 reported in 2009 but not necessarily confirmed by qualified witnesses.  So why has the number increased so significantly?  This more than quadruples the previous record.

As 2012 approaches and the sun increases its activity, there are some suggesting we could be looking at the first signs of the incredible things to come.  And if we are looking into the future, we could be seeing the level of devastation continuing to rise as the numbers increase and the clock ticks on.  There is no shortage of information suggesting we could be looking at something big on the horizon next year, but it’s the current year that might prove most interesting.

In the first nine days of May there have been only 6 reported tornadoes (understanding of course the difference between reported tornadoes and those confirmed).  This severe drop suggests a record breaking low after a devastating high.  But scientists suggest another weather system is picking up that could more than make up for the average.  Could we be looking into another major weather event whose origins are just as unclear as the devastating sweep of April?  Or are we finally going to see some relief?

Those proposing we are quickly approaching a major world event in the year 2012 are suggesting we could be seeing more now than ever in the way of devastating Earth changes.  And this incredible jump in tornadoes is suggesting we are closer now to the truth than ever before.