List of United States tornadoes from January to February 2012
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In January and February 2012, the local weather forecast offices of the National Weather Service confirmed 134 tornadoes in the United States, indicating an above-average period of tornadic activity. On average, 64 tornadoes occur in the first two months of the year, with 35 occurring in January and 29 in February. However, in 2012, the count for the two months was 79 and 55, respectively. The first confirmed tornado in January (and 2012) was an EF0 tornado which struck Fort Bend County in Texas at 1445 UTC on January 9. The last tornado of February was an EF0 that affected Blount County in Tennessee at 0030 UTC on March 1, though in terms of Central Time Zone, where the tornado took place, it was still February 29. The period's strongest tornado was ranked as an EF4 and occurred on February 29 in Saline and Gallatin counties in Illinois. Total economic losses in the United States from the first two months of 2012 amounted to over $600 million.
January 2012 was the third-most active January for tornadoes in the United States since 1950, with 79 tornadoes, behind 1999 and 2008. Two deaths occurred in Alabama on January 23. The activity was the result of a strong La Niña, which contributed to the fourth-warmest January in the United States in recorded history.
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