by Steve Norris, Smith County Insider Weather Correspondent
Sunshine is ahead for Friday and Saturday, but just when you think we’re going to get an entire weekend of good weather, Mother Nature says oh no you are not. A 60% chance of rain Sunday and 70% Monday. Let’s get back to that good forecast to start the weekend however with Saturday bringing Sun and 52 degrees.
In our looking back segment this week, it is all about winter weather. February 14th 1905, Tullahoma drops to an incredible 22 below zero. February 16th 1969, an 11 inch snowfall covers Smithville in DeKalb County. February 19th 1960, 10 inches of snow falls in 24 hours on Sparta in White County. February 20th 2015 the worst ice storm that Monterey and Crossville had ever received hits the plateau with one to two inches of ice and 50 mile per hour wind gusts. It goes down as the worst natural disaster ever in those areas with extreme damage to trees and power lines.
A recent study showed that in the past 25 years, Mississippi led the way in February tornadoes followed by Florida, Texas, and Alabama, with Tennessee and Kentucky tied for fifth. The United States averages 1,225 tornadoes a year with Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma recording the most. These States comprise what is known as Tornado Alley and now Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee make up Dixie Alley. This study also concluded that in the future the tornado season will peak earlier in March instead of May, and the number of April tornadoes is expected to increase. This Tornado study was based on how global warming will affect the severe weather season in the future.
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Steve Norris got his first job at 18 years old doing radio weather. Steve does forecasts for several radio stations and newspapers, and he serves as a severe weather meteorologist for some city governments in the Middle Tennessee area. Steve first became interested in weather when his grandfather bought him a thermometer when he was 10 years old. He has been loving weather for over 40 years.
If you need weather data or have any weather-related questions or comments, you can reach Steve Norris anytime at weather1@charter.net.
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