So far this year, the only tornado siren that has been heard in Oklahoma City is during the weekly Saturday noon test. In fact, the entire state has yet to record a tornado this month, and The Weather Channel said it is unlikely one will develop this month for only the third time.

According to scientists at The Weather Channel, cooler-than-average temperatures this month are caused by a consistent upper-level weather pattern that has sent the jet stream south and colder temperatures throughout the central U.S.

That’s a funny way of thanking Chicken-Fried News’ Scott Pruitt voodoo doll. With every day without a tornado, we add another pin where his spine would be located if he had one.

Oklahoma averages 11.7 tornados every April, according to The Weather Channel, but this is the longest the state has gone without a tornado since 1950, when data began being tracked.

The state has received its fair share of wild weather this month. A megafire has burned over 300,000 across the western part of the state and was less than 20 percent contained as of April 20. The combination of high winds and dry temperatures even produced what AccuWeather deemed a “firenado” during the Rhea Fire, as if a regular tornado isn’t scary enough.

In early April, Oklahoma City experienced snow and an earthquake on the same day, which we offer as Exhibit A for anyone doubting man’s impact on climate change.

High risk of tornados continues through June. We’ll keep putting pins into our Pruitt voodoo doll until it looks like something out of Hellraiser to keep the weather gods happy, but everyone should stay vigilant and safe.


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