COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Tornadoes in the fall and winter may occur due to clashes between warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and powerful cold fronts. These clashes can create the conditions for severe thunderstorms and, in some cases, tornadoes.
November's main tornado threat is in the South, as was evident in November 2022, when there were 68 tornadoes, most occurring in the South. One of the worst tornado outbreaks occurred just before Thanksgiving in 1992, with 94 tornadoes striking 13 states from Texas to the Carolinas. This event resulted in 26 deaths and 641 injuries.
While we typically see Arctic cold fronts during the winter, which prevent thunderstorm development, there are exceptions. Cold air may not reach parts of the South, so an active jet stream can clash with warm, humid air before cold fronts arrive, causing severe weather.