Below is an additional display of tornadoes that occurred between 1980-2019. Climatology shows that many of the tornadoes occurs from Texas eastward into Georgia and Florida. and northward into Tennessee and Kentucky, weighted by the February 5-6, 2008, or the Super Tuesday Outbreak.

 February Tornadoes Are Not That Rare

Dan McCarthy
former Storm Prediction Center Warning Coordination Meteorologist
and former Meteorologist in Charge NWS Indianapolis

Over the past few weeks, it has been reported over many national news outlets that February tornadoes are rare occurrences. Let's stop this right now, they are not that rare. When I worked at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center/Storm Prediction Center, it was understood that when we got to February 15, it was time to get into tornado season frame of mind! Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi were the usual states, especially Florida, that started the season.

Look at the number of tornadoes for each February going back to 1950 in Figure 1 below using the SPC tornado database.

Analysis of the SPC database shows that actually having a low number of tornadoes (less than 10) is rare!  Who cannot forget the Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak across the Ohio Valley in 2008! This outbreak occurred February 5-6, 2008 producing 86 tornadoes and resulting in 44 fatalities. 

In 2008, there was 148 confirmed tornadoes in February! Since 1950, February averages 27 tornadoes per year! In fact, just since 1980, the U.S. has averaged 32 tornadoes each February.

Tornado awareness is an issue in February. Tornadoes can happen any time during the year, anywhere. But, there is still the stigma that tornadoes mainly occur in the months of April, May, and June. This too is true since that is when most tornadoes occur in the year. But, in a safety and preparedness aspect, preparedness and being StormReady for tornadoes must be emphasized in months not "known" for tornadoes, or when major weather patterns like we have had lately are present.

Given the 8-14 day projection from the Climate Prediction Center, there will be a rapid change from the latest Arctic air that has entrenched much of the central and southern Plains into the southeastern U.S. Given this change, monitor the Storm Prediction Center for the latest outlooks as severe weather season could be starting in later February into early March.