March 2013 Tornado Stats

The persistent, stubborn March cold in the Plains, South and East has had at least one benefit.  

March 2013 was one of the least tornadic Marches in the U.S. in decades.

In preliminary data through March 31, only 17 tornadoes have been tallied across the nation in March 2013, according to Severe Weather Expert, Dr. Greg Forbes.   

If this preliminary total holds up, this would be the lowest March U.S. tornado count in 35 years, since only 17 tornadoes were counted in March 1978.  The last March with a lower U.S. tornado tally was 1969, with only 8 U.S. tornadoes. 

March 2012 couldn't have been more different, nearly doubling the monthly average with 154 tornadoes, punctuated by the Mar. 2-3 outbreak, heavily damaging the towns of W. Liberty, Ky. and Henryville, Ind., among others.

http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/march-tornadoes-fewest-20130330