Each year NOAA and other groups put out a forecast for the expected number of tropical storms and hurricanes expected to occur in the Atlantic basin.  This forecast is based on the El Nino phase as well as other factors such as long-term ocean patterns and past seasons.  But there is no similar forecast for the average number of tornadoes each year.  Why is that?  Matt Daniel, a graduate of UGA’s Geography Department and Atmospheric Sciences program, explains this in a blog posting at EarthSky (link).  The difference has a lot to do with the different sizes of hurricanes versus tornadoes.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center
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