Why are their so many tornados in New England now?

Question

a pretty big one just hit Epsom NH area yesterday. someone was killed by it, it toppled trees over, flipped houses over. They are saying it is the worst natural disaster to hit New Hampshire ever.

Answer 1

"On average, six tornadoes per year touchdown somewhere in New England"

"The most devastating tornado ever to occur in New England was the Worcester Tornado of July 9, 1953. "

"Another damaging tornado occurred in Windsor Locks on October 3, 1979. "

"The most recent killer tornado to strike New England occurred on May 29, 1995"  

An average of 6 per year, bad ones in '53, '79 and '95, it's now halfway through 2008, what makes you think 'now' is worse?

More than likely not more tornadoes, but more people so the ones that do occur are more noticable.

Answer 2

Because the remnants of tropical storm Cristobal are passing through the region. Tropical systems often spawn tornadoes due to the atmospheric instability in  those systems

Otherwise, tornadoes are rare in New England

Answer 3

We must bear in mind that many "tornadoes" that occur in the North East are rarely very destructive or long lived.  The topography just is not tornado friendly.  Modern instrumentation, communication and denser populations make it much more likely that such weather events are even noted.  For instance, a couple of tornadoes touched down in New Jersey and Long Island but it took investigators several weeks to determine that they were actually tornadoes.  

Not that every tornado is not serious but the type that occur out West do not require expert investigation to decide what they are.  So there are tornadoes and there are tornadoes.

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