By TINASHE MADZIWA, age 17
It may seem like there have been more tornadoes in recent years than in the past, but climate scientists say that may be because more tornadoes are being reported thanks to a larger population. PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons
Did you know the United States experiences the most tornadoes per year in the world? In 2013, 943 tornadoes were reported in the United States, and 10 of them were deadly. In total, 110 fatalities have been confirmed worldwide in 2013: 52 in the United States, 31 in Bangladesh, 24 in China and three in Turkey. People affected by the tornadoes have lost their homes, and sometimes their loved ones.
It may seem like there have been more tornadoes in recent years than in the past, but climate scientists say that may be because more tornadoes are being reported thanks to a larger population. Also, we just might not have the right technology to figure out if climate change has made an impact on tornado frequency.
“Until a technology is developed that can reliably detect all tornadoes, there is no hope of determining how tornadoes might be changing in response to a changing climate,” said Weather Underground climate scientist Jeff Masters.
