Forecasters: Cold winter cuts tornado chances

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The coldest winter in 30 years has cooled the rate of tornado activity so far this spring.

The Joplin Globe reported the number of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes to date has been far below the normal rate.

Greg Carbin of the national Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said there are usually 180 such storms nationwide by this time of year. But the number so far is about 100 below that mark.

However, Carbin said he expects things to pick up from now through June.