Severe weather season eerily quiet -- for now

Despite the cold winter, severe weather season actually got off to a quick and intense start, StormCenter 7 Chief Meteorologist Eric Elwell said.

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On Feb. 25, the state's first tornado of the year touched down in Clermont County, just outside of Cincinnati.

March was also active but with flooding more of a concern than severe winds or hail.

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But that changed again as we rolled into April with several tornadoes touching down across the Miami Valley and the state.

So far in 2018, there have been nine tornado touchdowns in Ohio. Usually by this time of year, we've had an average of three tornadoes.

But since early April, the weather turned cool across the Ohio Valley and really about the eastern half of the country.

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The cooler weather has all but squashed severe weather across much of the region.

In the central plains, what is typically known as "Tornado Alley" has been unusually void of tornadoes. Typically, Oklahoma and Kansas have had about 20 tornadoes each by this time of the year.

So far, there have been no tornado touchdowns in either state.

Amazingly, there have been more tornadoes in California and Ohio than in anywhere in the northern or central plains.

As May gets underway, a more active -- typical -- spring pattern is expected to evolve.

This will likely bring the threat of severe storms back into areas that typically see it this time of year.

The threat for stronger storms may even return to Ohio by the first or second week of May.

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