Tornado Alley Shifting East? What It Means for Louisiana

(KMDL-FM)  For the third day in a row, portions of Louisiana will be at risk for severe storms and possible tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center says residents of Shreveport, Leesville, Lake Charles, and those who live and camp along Toledo Bend Reservoir will need to keep an eye on the sky for strong storms that could become severe or even spawn tornadoes.

If it seems as though Louisiana has been in Mother Nature's crosshairs for inclement weather more than usual lately, it might not be a coincidence. There does appear to be a trend showing that the area of the country known as "Tornado Alley" has made a significant shift eastward.

READ MORE: Do Your Kids Know What To Do In Case of Severe Weather?

READ MORE: Which Louisiana Parishes Have the Most Tornadoes?

When you hear the term Tornado Alley, most of us think of the states of the Great Plains region of the country. I think we've all seen storm chaser videos from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas in recent years. And, for years, those states appeared to be the "hot spot" for tornado development.

Why Does Louisiana Have So Much Severe Weather?

But recent studies have shown the occurrence of tornadoes in that part of the country has decreased, while states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee are seeing a significant increase in storm warnings and tornado touchdowns.

One researcher suggested that the number of days with tornadoes across the Gulf South states that we just mentioned has increased by about 10% over the past 40 years. In that same time frame, the occurrence of tornadoes and days with tornadoes in the Plains appears to have decreased by about that same amount.

The news of a shift in storm trends should be taken with a grain of salt. Tornadoes have occurred in all 50 states, and they can happen in any month at any time of the year. However, the period of time between April and June is usually the most active when it comes to tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that can spawn them.

Will There Be Severe Weather in Louisiana Today?

For the next several days, the forecast for the I-10 corridor in South Louisiana includes an 80% chance of showers and storms. It does appear the biggest threat from those storms won't be tornadoic or wind events but rather heavy rainfall.

The Official National Weather Service Forecast does not call specifically for a generalized heavy rain event, but more of a scattered, localized event where rainfall rates per hour could inundate municipal drainage systems.

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Oh, and if it doesn't rain, then you can go take care of this since you've been putting it off all week because of the threat of rain.