U.S. could see record twisters this season

Source: MSNBC/AP

Another week, another rumbling train of tornadoes that obliterates entire city blocks, smashing homes to their foundations and killing people even as they cower in their basements.

With the year not even half done, 2008 is already the deadliest tornado year in the United States since 1998 and seems on track to break the U.S. record for the number of twisters in a year, according to the National Weather Service. Also, this year's storms seem to be unusually powerful.

But like someone who has lost all his worldly possessions to a whirlwind, meteorologists cannot explain exactly why this is happening.

"There are active years and we don't particularly understand why," said research meteorologist Harold Brooks at the National Severe Storms Lab in Norman, Okla.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24845723/

from the air you can see where it looks like a giant hand has just scoured the earth in a quarter-mile wide trail....maybe wider in some spots.
lucky that only one died. the story of the 2-year-old is absolutely heartbreaking..

Iowa one was EF5 and yes, EF3 is plenty big enough. Edited because I mixed up the MN and Iowa ones. Glad you are ok. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3327672&mesg_id=3327672