ORLANDO, Fla. – From Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, the radar was lit up with tornado warnings as storms swept across the Midwest. Alerts spread rapidly, and confirmed tornado polygons traced the paths of intense weather. Once again, spring had arrived with a powerful reminder of its unpredictable nature.
Every year, the Midwest turns into a weather battleground during March and April. Here’s why: cold air from the north and warm, humid air from the south collide over the region. When these two air masses meet, it creates the perfect conditions for severe weather to happen.
Up above, the jet stream—basically a fast-moving river of air—shifts south and pushes these storms right into the Midwest. The clash between warm and cool air causes instability, making thunderstorms blow up fast. And when these storms get intense, they can bring hail, high winds, and tornadoes.
This mix of cold and warm air, combined with moisture from the Gulf, makes springtime in the Midwest super unpredictable. It’s a time when the weather is anything but calm.
