tornadoes

Climate change-driven weather events are causing more damage and wear and tear to school buildings in Missouri, driving up districts’ property insurance costs.

To save Oklahoma from treacherous tornados, scientists in the 2024 blockbuster “Twisters” try to use a real-life technique called cloud seeding. But would this really work? Researchers have actually been using cloud seeding to modify the weather since the 1940s. For professor Katja Friedrich, it’s a promising way to address some of the issues caused by climate change.

With geography already posing challenges for Midwestern forecasters, meteorologist Chris Gloninger says climate change has made traditional models obsolete and has voided historical precedents.

It’s been an above-average spring for tornadoes and other severe storms in the Midwest and Great Plains. Experts say a big reason is that weather conditions were ripe for tornado-forming storms.

There have been 184 tornado warnings in Missouri in 2024, which is the third-highest number on record.

Five months in, this year is already the most active for tornadoes in Kansas since 2019. Two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Johnson County last week.

Two tornadoes were confirmed out of Sunday evening’s storm — one in western Shawnee and another around 79th Street and Lamar Avenue. But neither county nor city outdoor warning sirens went off, nor was there any alert issued.

Kansas has been seeing fewer tornadoes in recent years, but is that a permanent change? One reporter explains the lull and why experts are more worried about other extreme weather threats in the region — like flooding.

States in the Midwest and South have already seen many deadly tornadoes so far this year. These parts of the country are also where the number of severe events are steadily increasing.

A large tornado hit southeastern Missouri before dawn, causing widespread destruction as a broad swath of the Midwest and South braced for further storms that could spawn additional twisters and hail.

More dangerous weather is expected in the same communities that lost more than 30 people from tornadoes just days ago.

KSHB chief meteorologist Gary Lezak delivers his last forecast December 1, and will turn his attention to running his long-range weather prediction business.