Tornadoes in the United States
A story about the tornadoes that recently hit twelve states across America.
A tornado is a violent, destructive, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the Earth's surface and the clouds in the sky. Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes, but typically form a tunnel that is full of dust and debris. It is also called a twister or a cyclone.
Between April 14 and 16, 2011, at least ninety-seven tornadoes struck the United States. The twisters hit twelve different states: Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. The ninety-seven tornadoes confirmed so far makes the outbreak the most active since June of 2008.
The damage done by these tornaodoes is devastating. Entire communities were wiped out including homes, offices, schools, and landmarks. People were trapped inside their homes or cars while waiting for the storms to pass. There have been fourty-five deaths reported so far and countless injuries. The state that was hardest hit was North Carolina; one rural community had sixty-seven of one hundred-thirty homes completely destroyed.
As crews begin to clean up and retore communities, the fear of tornadoes is not over yet. The National Weather forecast is calling for another round of severe storms on Tuesday. There is a possibility for high winds, large hail, and tornadoes in several states. The terrible weather should clear up by Wednesday morning, however people in these southern states are prepared for the worst.