Climate Change Is Influencing Tornado Behavior — Here's How

With extreme weather events becoming more common, questions are mounting about the connection between climate change and tornadoes. While tornadoes remain one of the most unpredictable natural disasters, recent research is shedding light on how global warming may be reshaping when and where they form.

Tornado Counts: Up, But Not Necessarily Stronger

The number of reported tornadoes has risen in the last several decades. However, experts caution that this increase may not reflect a true rise in tornado activity. Improvements in radar detection, widespread storm chasing, and the prevalence of mobile devices capturing video mean more storms are being documented than ever before.

When it comes to the most violent tornadoes — those classified as EF3 or higher — scientists have seen no substantial increase over time.