A recent story by ABC News, “Climate and Environmental Update: Tornado Activity Average March: NOAA” categorized severe tornado outbreaks in the recent “climate crisis” category, suggesting that these storms are caused by global warming. [emphasis, links added]
This is wrong.
Climate change will not cause an increase in the number or severity of tornadoes, nor will it be associated with such a limited event.
ABC Warning:
The climate crisis is not a distant threat. It is happening and affecting what is most important to us.
Tornado activity in the U.S. in March was more than double the monthly average, recording more than 200 tornadoes, according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Although the ABC has not clearly stated that this tornado season is caused by climate change, the story strongly suggests this and, therefore, since it is wrong, it cannot be left unchallenged.
The United States does experience destructive and violent tornadoes [outbreak] In March 2025, but this is not a record breakdown in quantity or strength, nor does it reflect the long-term trends necessary to prove climate links.
NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) strongly disagrees with the ABC's claims.
ABC's amazing coverage of the 2025 tornado season is inconsistent with data.
The NCEI report that tornado past records are spotty because they are short-lived and not always reported, especially as people move back to the past further.
NCEI report: “[m]Because the tornado lane was sparse in the 20th century, any significant tornado may not enter the historical record. ”
Doppler weather radar did not become widespread until the 1990s. Because the weather radar coverage is low at this time and has higher coverage in recent years, “Observation practices lead to an increase in the number of weak tornadoes, and in recent years, EF-0 tornadoes have become more common in the total number of reported tornadoes,” the NCEI explained.
NCEI continues:
As national Doppler radars increase coverage, population increases, and attention to tornado reports, the number of reports of tornadoes has increased in the past few decades. This may create a misleading appearance with a growing trend in tornado frequency.
To better understand the variability and trends of tornado frequency in the United States, EF-1 and more powerful totals, as well as intensity-to-violent tornadoes (EF-3 to EF-5 on the enhanced Fujita scale). These tornadoes may have been reported even in the first few decades
Doppler radar has become widespread, and practice has led to an increase in reporting of tornadoes. The bar chart below shows that the frequency of tornadoes has been very few in the past 55 years.
NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) tornado data show [increased numbers] Since the introduction of a wide range of Doppler radars. (See the picture below)
When it comes to the strongest tornado, EF-3 and above, there seems to be a downward trend. (Please refer to the picture below)
Climate at a glance: Tornado points out Until 2017-2018, the United States set the longest record in history, with no tornado deaths and the longest record in history without F3 or stronger tornadoes.
In fact, the two-year record of tornado numbers is in the past decade, namely 2014 and 2018.
In addition, the intergovernmental group of the United Nations Climate Change (IPCC) has found that[t]This is confidence in observed trends in small-space scale phenomena (such as tornadoes). ”
ABC's amazing coverage of the 2025 tornado season is inconsistent with data. There is no dangerous climate signal in the tornado data, and there may even be evidence that warmth over the past century has been linked to a decline in severe tornado outbreaks in the United States.
A severe tornado season or concentrated outbreak is not evidence of catastrophic climate change;Only long-term persistent trends can indicate that climate change may be a factor, and there is no such trend.
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