Iowa sees few tornadoes so far in Summer storm season

State climatologist Harry Hillaker says Iowa may have escaped “prime time” tornado season with few twisters. Hillaker says Iowa has had about 11 tornadoes so far this year. He says you have to go back to 1978 to find a year with fewer tornadoes through this point in the season.Hillaker says “it’s been a very quiet year in Iowa for tornadoes and those few that we’ve had have all been relatively minor, as far as tornadoes go.” Hillaker says there’s more than one reason for the phenomenon. Hillaker says there hasn’t really been much heat and humidity in Iowa until this week, and heat and humidity are the things that helps trigger a tornado. Hillaker says Iowa has avoided having that one afternoon when things are just right and 20 tornadoes are spawned in one day.