5th SEASON: Night time tornado threat increasing

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - In an average year, people will probably be in a tornado watch about 8 to 10 times, and in 2 to 3 tornado warnings.

If each warning lasts 30 minutes, that’s less than two hours in a tornado warning for an entire year.

Over the past century, the tornado death rate has declined, in large part because of sophisticated forecasting technology and warning systems.

But Northern Illinois University researchers found the nighttime tornado death rate over the past century has not shared the same pace of decline as the rate for daytime tornadoes.

“We’re at the point where we can say two days, one day before, listen within the next 48 hours we will have deadly nocturnal tornadoes, so we know they are coming,” ABC Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee said. “It’s how we get that information communicated and how we get through the biggest barrier and that is the one where people say, I know that there could be tornadoes somewhere, but it’s not coming here.”

In the same study, it was found that night time tornado fatalities were actually increasing.

This research suggests that 1 in every 20 overnight tornadoes were fatal, compared to roughly 1 in every 50 daytime tornadoes.

Therefore, it is important to make sure to have at least three different ways to get a warning.

This can include local television, a NOAA Weather Radio, phone apps or community notification systems.

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