Witch storms will hit parts of US in November. Why are they named so?
The United States is preparing itself for the dynamic weather event of November called witch storms. November is the month when fall grows into winter and often a mix of weather conditions is experienced in the early month. One such phenomenon is the witch storms, which are described as intense Midwest windstorms.
Midwest windstorms (sometimes also called thunderstorms) are fierce windstorms that develop in the Midwestern USA i.e. the northern central part of the country. This region usually experiences several windstorms in late October or early November. One such climatic event is witch storms. Let’s decode this spookily-titled storm.
What are witch storms? How are they formed?
Witch storms are the windstorms that are formed during the fall when the temperature is increasing in contrast from north to south across the US. This increase in temperature produces stronger low-pressure systems that produce intense winds or windstorms, as per The Weather Channel.
These winds have a notorious history of escalating in early November and are sometimes referred to as the “Witches of November.”
Winds from these storms often cause tree damage and huge power outages. According to The Weather Channel, these storms are also a major hazard for shipping on the Great Lakes. In November 1975, one of these witch storms sank a huge iron ore ship called Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior.
November will be cloudier
As per The Weather Channel’s report, this month is usually the cloudiest month of the year in parts of the Northern Plains and upper Midwest in the States. For other parts, the cloudy peak will arrive in December. But an average November sky will remain at least 70 per cent cloud-covered around the Great Lakes, interior Northeast and Pacific Northwest.
Severe weather outbreaks can occur in November
History shows that November is prone to severe weather outbreaks. Last year, November saw an above-average 68 tornadoes in the month, most of which were in the South of the US, as per The Weather Channel.
Deadly tornadoes struck Texas and Oklahoma states on Nov 4 and then Alabama early on Nov 30. Based on these occurrences, meteorologists are predicting large outbreaks in Nov 2023 too. It is mostly because of the windstorms occurring in the Deep South, where warm, moist air is more common.
(With inputs from agencies)
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