October Tornadoes

Two weak tornadoes touched down in Tennessee on Monday, October 1. It's a reminder that autumn is considered the "second" tornado season.
According to Tornado Expert Dr. Greg Forbes, the second half of October and November can be ripe for severe storms and tornadoes.

 

September's Tornado Tally

 

"In many ways, this is the counterpart to spring, when strong fronts and upper air systems march across the United States," says Dr. Forbes. "When enough warm, moist air accompanies these weather systems, the unstable conditions yield severe thunderstorms and sometimes tornadoes."

(More: Storm Watch | Tornado Safety)
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down near Grant in Smith County, Tenn. Monday, Oct. 1. Another EF-0 touched down in Statesville in Wilson County, Tenn. on the same day. They were part of a system that drenched much of the South on Monday.
The storms downed multiple trees, ripped siding off homes, and overturned lawn sheds. There were no reports of injuries.
Other Monday Tornadoes

• North Carolina: 3 confirmed EF-0 tornadoes
• Alabama: 1 confirmed EF-0 tornado
• South Carolina: 1 preliminary tornado report

Average Monthly Tornadoes

"With 7 preliminary tornadoes on Oct, 1 2012 the question is whether this will be the second month in a row with the most tornadoes on the first day," says Dr. Forbes. "September 1, 2012 was the most active day last month. Most of those tornadoes were from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac."
While most of the largest tornado outbreaks still occur in spring, autumn has its share of storms as well. Dr. Forbes examined the storm statistics from 1967-2012 and found 6 of the 50 largest outbreaks occurred in October and November.
Most of September's tornado outbreaks are due to landfalling tropical systems. October and November's tornadoes are caused by strong cold fronts and lwo pressure systems affecting the South and sometimes the Midwest.