Tornado Data Archives: I like to create trouble in spring and summer, and I love to go to Jiangsu and Guangdong!

Recently, many places in the south have been experiencing heavy rains for days, and Guangzhou Baiyun District was suddenly visited by an "uninvited guest" - a tornado. The meteorological disaster has caused 5 deaths and dozens of injuries.

So, what kind of wind is a tornado? Does it like to go to Guangdong? Is there a "Tornado Life Guide" that we can open to learn more about it? What should we do if we encounter this guy? Follow Dongdong Miao to uncover the mystery of tornadoes!

"I'm going to cause trouble", and it can sweep everything away in an instant

First, let's decode what a tornado is. A tornado is not a fun thing. It is a small air vortex formed under extremely unstable climate conditions. The wind speed can reach 50 to 150 meters per second, and the diameter ranges from a few meters to hundreds of meters. It appears and disappears in a moment. It usually comes together with thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain. The destructive power is extremely amazing and can blow away houses!

Tornadoes are extremely destructive when they are severe. According to statistics from China Weather Network, from 1991 to 2014, the death toll from tornadoes in my country reached 495, with an average of 21 people being dragged into the "tornado's embrace" every year. Moreover, there was another tornado incident in Hubei on April 16, 1977, which caused 118 deaths! It's simply jaw-dropping!

Jiangsu and Guangdong, tornadoes prefer to visit you.

I don't believe that tornadoes have no feelings. Jiangsu and Guangdong are on the list of their favorite provinces in China.

According to data from the National Climate Center from 1991 to 2020, the frequency of tornadoes is relatively high in Jiangsu, Guangdong, Hubei and Anhui, with an average of no less than 2 times per year.

Jiangsu and Guangdong in particular are blessed by 4.8 and 4.3 tornadoes every year!

However, don't worry too much. In recent years, the frequency of tornadoes across the country has begun to gradually decrease. According to data from the National Climate Center, between 2004 and 2020, the number of tornadoes in China showed an overall downward trend, gradually decreasing from hundreds to nearly 100 times per year to an average of less than 20 times per year in the past decade.

In spring and summer, people love to cause trouble, with the afternoon and evening becoming the peak time.

In our country, tornadoes like to cause trouble most in spring and summer.

According to a study on the "Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Tornadoes in China", between 1961 and 2010, there were 165 EF2-level and above tornadoes in China, of which nearly 90% occurred from April to August each year. July is the peak season for tornadoes, accounting for nearly 30% of the annual occurrences, followed by April and August.

In addition to seasonal factors, there is also a certain regularity in the occurrence of tornadoes throughout the day.

Another observation of the above study shows that strong tornadoes particularly like to come in front of people between 12 noon and 8 pm, and they do so 70% of the time. Analysis shows that this period is the peak period of tornado activity, because after the solar radiation during the day, the atmospheric stratification is unstable, which makes it easier to form strong convective weather, thus promoting the formation and strengthening of tornadoes.

Of course, we shouldn’t think that tornadoes only appear in the afternoon; they are troublemakers all day long!

The power is amazing and unpredictable, so early warning and defense are needed!

Tornadoes are very destructive, but it is not easy to predict their whereabouts. Tornadoes are small-scale systems with high intensity and short life cycles, which poses a great challenge to forecasting. Therefore, we need to take some emergency measures to protect ourselves. For example, stay away from fragile objects such as glass doors and windows, quickly hide indoors, and never go out to avoid becoming "tornado prey"!

Finally, Dongdong Miao wants to say that we must always pay attention to weather changes! Especially in areas prone to tornadoes, we must always pay attention to weather conditions. Once there are thunderstorms, hail, heavy rain and other weather conditions, try to stay indoors to protect yourself and your friends!

Data source:

[1] Fan Wenjie, Yu Xiaoding. Temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of tornadoes in China[J]. Meteorology, 2015, 41(07): 793-805.

[2] The Guangzhou tornado was initially judged to be a strong tornado. Learn what to do when you encounter a tornado. China Weather Network. [EB/OL]. April 28, 2024.

[3] How strong was the tornado in Jiangsu this time? Why did it happen in Yancheng again? . National Meteorological Science Data Center. [EB/OL]. 2020

[4]Which regions in my country are most prone to tornadoes? Data shows that Guangdong ranks at the top. Nanfang Net. [EB/OL]. June 24, 2016.

[5] China Weather Network. An average of 43 tornadoes occur in my country each year, with the most in Jiangsu and Guangdong. Shangguan News. [EB/OL]. June 24, 2016.

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