An insurance adjuster climbs among the rubble of a home in Elk City on May 17 last year, one day after a tornado hit the residential area. [Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman Archives]

That tornado-free streak could end next week, when forecasters predict chances for severe weather Tuesday and Wednesday.

As of Thursday, no tornadoes had struck Oklahoma this year. The average number of tornadoes for a year through the end of April is 17.

Before this year, the state's latest first tornado of the year was on April 26, 1962, when an F-3 tornado struck near Sayre, according to Oklahoma Climatological Survey records kept since 1950.

"If you rest your laurels on the early part of spring, then May can really jump up and bite you," said Oklahoma state climatologist Gary McManus.

If it does, it won't mark the first time Oklahoma has seen few tornadoes in the early part of the season followed by a heavier round in May. In 2010 in Oklahoma, there were 2 tornadoes in March and one in April, followed by 90 in May. In 2015, there were 7 tornadoes in March and 5 in April, followed by 83 in May.

The average number of tornadoes in Oklahoma in May is 23.

McManus said the reason Oklahoma has lacked a tornado has been a combination of drought and cold. For April, as of Thursday, the average statewide temperature was 6 degrees below normal at 52.1 degrees and the previous average low for April was 53.2 degrees in 1983.