A swath of deadly tornadoes cut through several U.S. Heartland states this weekend, leaving thousands without power and flattening buildings across Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), six EF-2 tornadoes swept through Iowa Friday night. At least 40 tornadoes – ranging from EF-0 to EF-3 – have been confirmed by NWS across four states, and NWS said it received 86 tornado reports. The agency is still investigating and the total number this weekend could rise.
Hurricane season starts in just one month, but the violent storms that devastated parts of The Sooner State offer a reminder that Mother Nature's fury doesn't follow a calendar, and she has many weapons at her disposal.
A robust disaster preparedness plan isn’t just a luxury when it comes to natural disasters; it’s an absolute necessity.
In 2017, category four Hurricane Harvey caused around $145 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. While the Atlantic hurricane season doesn’t officially start until June, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter warned in a February 20 report that there are “serious and growing concerns” of a potentially “super-charged” season.
This is due to two factors: the expected arrival of La Niña that might coincide with the Atlantic hurricane season and historically warm ocean temperatures. According to AccuWeather, “warm water is the fuel for hurricanes,” and so the impending record-shattering warmth across the Atlantic during hurricane season is cause for concern.
