The weather in Southeastern Manitoba has been favorable for the formation of tornadoes this summer.

Storm Chaser and Meteorologist Scott Kehler says we are seeing a few more tornadoes this year than we have in the past few years. “Normally we see a fair number of tornadoes in June and July and they start to slow down in August, but this year it seems to increase as we move into August.”

Kehler says in an average year, we see about 10 tornadoes, and so far this year there have been 14. “We haven't seen any touch down in the Steinbach and surrounding areas that I'm aware of which is good, but the season isn't over yet so you never know what might happen.”

According to Kehler, the weather this summer has often been ideal for the formation of tornadoes because of the high humidity. “When we get a weather system that has strong southerly winds near the ground and a strong jet stream aloft, moving in different directions and at different levels, that can help develop a rotation. And under the right circumstances, that rotation can descend towards the ground in the form of a tornado.”

Kehler notes, while the increase in the number of tornadoes is unusual, we shouldn't attribute them to climate change. "We can't link one tornado or even a series of tornadoes to climate change. While climate change is certainly having an impact on our weather and on the storms we see in summer, it should be studied further so we can draw a better conclusion about how it's affecting our weather.”

Kehler adds, the best thing to do if a tornado approaches is to head to the lowest level of your home, away from doors and windows. If you don't have a basement, head to a small interior room of your house like a bathroom.