TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Parts of the American Midwest and Plains may be more renown for violent, large, destructive tornadoes, but tornado activity in our region can cause disruptive impacts on a different scale.
Florida and south Georgia experience an uptick in tornado potential in the late winter through spring seasons, as occasional warmer spells clash with strong cold fronts, creating a scenario of building thunderstorms with strong winds, sometimes flowing in from different directions, and promoting the chance for tornado development.
Florida ranks #3 in the nation in the average number of tornadoes per year. While tornado formation favors certain times of the year in other parts of the United States, tornadoes have the opportunity to develop in many parts of the year in the Sunshine State.
Some of the strongest, higher-impact tornadoes have occurred regionally in February and March. Two of these include a significant F3-rated tornado that struck Camilla, Ga., on Feb. 13, 2000, that damaged or destroyed over 400 homes and killed 11 people; and Mar. 3., 2012's EF-3 twister that tracked through Lowndes and Lanier Cos., creating damage costs exceed $500,000.
We'll highlight the severe weather topic of the day all this week here on wtxl.tv. In the meantime, you can also access tornado preparedness tips and advice along with other severe weather information year-round and on-the-go on your mobile device by downloading our Severe Weather Guide from the App Store, Amazon, or Google Play.
