2004 was a destructive year for tornadoes. At that time 2004 produced the most tornadoes. However, the year has been passed in number of tornadoes since then. One reason 2004 was bad for tornadoes was due to the Modoki El Nino. This rare type of El Nino causes the Atlantic to behave like a La Nina pattern even though it is not a La Nina. An active storm track, combined with the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Provided fuel for tornadoes. In addition, 4 hurricanes made landfall in the United States. These hurricanes produced a lot of tornadoes.

In Meteorology summers starts June 1st and goes to September the 1st. This is why we call it the Meteorological Summer. Summer of 2004 continued with several tornado outbreaks. These outbreaks occurred in the High Plains, Great Plains, Ohio River Valleys, Tennessee River Valleys and Florida.

I decided to make a post looking back on some of the infamous summer 2004 tornado outbreaks.

June 10th-13th- High Plains and Midwest Tornado Outbreak. A strong low pressure system developed in the Rockies. As this Storm system moved eastward it tapped into the strong winds and warm air. A tornado outbreak occurred for three days. On the first day this tornado outbreak impacted the states of Colorado, Wyoming, the Nebraska Panhandle and West South Dakota. On the second day the outbreak continued into East South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The third day tornadoes occurred in Wisconsin and Upper Illinois and Michigan. Overall in three days 46 tornadoes touched down doing millions of dollars worth of damage.

July 13th/14th Tornado OUtbreak. A strong storm system developed in the upper Midwest. This storm system moved eastward causing a tornado outbreak in the Ohio River Valley and Mid-Atlantic States. ON the first day destructive tornadoes decimated counties in Illinois and Indiana. On the second day tornadoes occurred in Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Maryland. Overall 24 tornadoes occurred with the most destructive ones occurring in Illinois and EF4/F4 type tornado and in Pennsylvania where an EF3/F3 type tornado occurred. Millions of dollars worth of damage was reported.

July 18th Dakota Tornado Outbreak. A strong low pressure system came out of Montana. This strong low pressure system caused large hail, damaging winds, and a small tornado outbreak in North and South Dakota. 3 tornadoes touched down in South Dakota while 8 touched down in North Dakota. The worst tornado was a high end F4/EF4 tornado that destroyed the town of Marion North Dakota. The entire small farm town had to be rebuilt. While the town was rebuilt most of the residents left town after the tornado. This tornado's rating was controversial. As a lot of Meteorologists have stated this tornado may have been an EF5/F5 type tornado. Regardless millions of dollars of damage was done and 11 tornadoes where confirmed from this outbreak.

August 2nd Derecho- A line of severe Storms started to develop in Central Indiana and Central Ohio. These storms intensified as they moved south. The thunderstorms in this line begin to produce damaging winds 75-90 mph and the line was moving at 60 mph. By Midnight the line had made it to Birmingham Alabama and Atlanta Georgia. While this Derecho produced widespread wind damage it did produce some tornadoes. A total of 6 tornadoes touched down in Kentucky and Tennessee.

August 12th Tornado Outbreak from Tropical Storm Bonnie. Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall in Florida and traveled northward. Bonnie caused a tornado outbreak in Northern Florida, Southern Georgia, South Carolina and South Central North Carolina. The Tornadoes impacted several cities. North and South Carolina where the hardest hit. Bonnie produced 18 tornadoes caused $2 million in damages and 3 people where killed in the Carolina's from tornadoes.

August 13th-14th Tornado Outbreak from Hurricane Charley. Charley made landfall in the US States of Florida as a category 4 hurricane and South Carolina as a category 1 hurricane. Inland Charley caused a tornado outbreak in Florida, Southeast Georgia, and South Carolina. At least 25 tornadoes ended up being confirmed from Charley.

Overall, the summer of 2004 produced several tornado outbreaks especially in July and August. August produced the Derecho on August 2nd. However Tropical Storm Bonnie and Charley spawned several tornadoes when they made their landfalls.