From Tim Dennell
Your article asking whether there is a connection between tornadoes and climate change (2 August, p 38) failed to mention one obvious factor: the ocean current pattern known as La Niña does appear to increase tornado activity. According to the , of the – comprising more than 40 tornadoes between them – only one outbreak was during an El Niño event. Six occurred during the contrary pattern, a La Niña event. Eight occurred during years with neither.
The editor writes:
• We don’t know in any detail how climate change will affect El Niño/La Niña, so this doesn’t tell us much about its effects on tornadoes.
Sheffield, UK
