(Des Moines) The number of spring tornado events in Iowa has already reached the total for one year. Chad Hahn with the National Weather Service in Des Moines says the typical yearly average is around 50.
Hahn tells KSOM/KS95 News that as of May 24, forty-seven tornadoes had been identified in the state, not including the latest events, so that number will rise. The first tornado in Iowa occurred on April 7 in Wright and Hamilton Counties.
Hahn says the weather pattern is caused by an active Jet Stream transitioning across the country with a southwest flow and disturbances in low-pressure areas. This allows Gulf moisture to stream into the region every three to five days, causing storms with varying levels of severity.
The widespread rainfall amounts virtually wipe out the drought throughout the state. The latest release on Thursday showed no categories of drought, for the first time in well over 200 hundred straight weeks of drought somewhere in the state. Only a few areas are showing abnormally dry conditions.
