Tornado-spawning storms may get worse due to warming

By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer

A new study says warming will fuel more supercells in the United States and that those storms will move eastward from their current range. The study says that makes it more likely that the lethal storms will strike more often in the more populous areas of Southern states. Supercells are nature’s nastiest storms, producing most killer tornadoes and damaging hail. Even with moderate warming, the study projects a nearly 7% increase in supercells by century’s end. The study author says what computer simulations show for the year 2100 seems to be here now. Scientists say Friday’s Mississippi tornado fits the projected pattern but can’t be blamed on climate change.