Dozens of lives were lost under the cover of darkness during a long-tracked tornado through Mississippi at the end of March. The tornado raced more than 50 mph under the cover of night destroying the town of Rolling Fork.
Again this past weekend, storms spun dozens of tornadoes killing at least 26 people in towns and cities across the South and Midwest.
A trail of damage from the capital in Arkansas to Illinois left people stunned by the scope of destruction across eight states.
Although tornadoes can form throughout the year, the peak of springtime tornadic activity typically starts in April.
The abundance of Winter and March tornadoes this year has resulted in the third most frequent number of storm reports since 2005.
So far through April 2, 412 reports of local damage have been compiled and the most active months are still ahead.
Historically, May is the peak month for tornadoes, averaging 294 twisters yearly. That’s followed by April and June, each with an average of 212 tornadoes.
What makes spring so active?
The jet stream blows fast and takes large southward dips toward the southern Plains states in Spring. The clash of warm humid air moving northward from the Gulf of Mexico brings thunderstorms that are capable of rotating into supercell storms that cause the most violent tornadoes.