NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Spring season has historically been the most active for tornadoes in Middle Tennessee, but December has started to become an active month over the past 10 years.
From the 1800s through 2014, nine tornadoes were recorded across Middle Tennessee in December making it the least likely month for tornadoes.
In the past 12 years, from 2012 to 2024, there have been 35 tornadoes in December in Middle Tennessee making it the most active month for tornadoes. December even beats out our Spring months.
There have been a few larger outbreaks in the past three years that have contributed to the high count of tornado warnings:
- Dec. 10 and 11, 2021, with 16 tornadoes
- Dec. 9, 2023, with seven tornadoes
The National Weather Service said Dec. 9 is the deadliest tornado outbreak in December in Middle Tennessee history.
According to a study by Climate Central, winter is the fastest warming season in 38 of the 49 states analyzed. Tennessee and Kentucky are included in the states with the fastest warming season being Winter.
Warmer air holds more water vapor. When storm systems move in and draw in warmer temperatures and humidity from the Gulf of Mexico, this can allow for a tornadic setup any month of the year.
Winter will likely feature more of these tornado outbreaks going forward as temperatures continue to warm on average.
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