MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- Wednesday night's severe weather event in the Florida Big Bend wasn't necessarily rare, but it did break a lengthy streak of quiet storm conditions in the country.
For 51 days, a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch was not issued in any part of the U.S. by the Storm Prediction Center, according to warning coordination meteorologist Greg Carbin. This stretch is the sixth longest period of time of watch-free conditions since the mid 1970s, and the longest stretch since a 54-day lack of watches in 1986.
The number of watches so far this year also are at very low levels, with no severe thunderstorms watches issued by the SPC and four tornado watches so far in 2015.
The previous tornado watch on Jan. 4 also covered portions of the Big Bend and south-central Georgia.