A rare winter tornado tore through southern Wisconsin on Thursday, causing significant damage and breaking weather records in the state. According to meteorologist Taylor Patterson from the National Weather Service in Milwaukee, this is the first recorded tornado in the month of February since records began in 1948.

The tornado left a trail of destruction as it snapped power poles, downed trees, and damaged homes in its path. Patterson expressed the unusual nature of this weather event, stating, "This is a very unusual time of year for Wisconsin to be getting tornadoes. We were also unusually warm yesterday."

The extreme weather extended beyond Wisconsin, as thunderstorms moved across Iowa and Illinois, bringing with them hailstones ranging in size from peas to ping pong balls. In northern Illinois, another tornado developed during this unusual weather pattern.

Temperatures on Thursday reached highs that were about 25 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than usual in parts of Wisconsin, with Madison and Milwaukee both recording temperatures of 59 degrees F. These temperatures even surpassed records dating back to 1925. The strong El Niño pattern was identified as a contributing factor to the record-breaking warmth.

Although it is unclear whether climate change played a role in the occurrence of this winter tornado, scientists anticipate that the rising global temperatures caused by carbon pollution will lead to warmer temperatures, more frequent severe weather, and more intense storms.

Reports of damage came in from Evansville, Edgerton, and Albany, southern rural communities near Madison. Fortunately, no major injuries were reported. The National Weather Service dispatched crews to assess and classify the strength of the tornado using the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Scott Lindstrom, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, noted that this was the strongest tornado in the state since August 2021. He highlighted the unusual nature of the event, as it developed just after sundown following a clear sky.

Winter tornadoes are not entirely unprecedented in Wisconsin, with three occurring in January. However, as temperatures continue to warm, scientists are studying the shifting risk of supercell thunderstorms and tornadoes, as well as the timing of these events.

A recent study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society suggested that the risk of supercell storms would increase as global temperatures rise. The study predicted that these storms would become more frequent in the eastern United States while decreasing in the Great Plains. The authors emphasized the potential for more significant tornadoes, hail, and extreme rainfall, which, combined with societal vulnerabilities, could lead to disastrous consequences.

As the cleanup and assessment continue in the aftermath of this rare winter tornado, researchers and meteorologists will delve deeper into the relationship between climate change and extreme weather patterns. Wisconsin and other regions will need to stay vigilant to adapt and prepare for the shifting risks brought about by a changing climate.