Tornado News: Over the Memorial Day weekend, a series of powerful storms wreaked havoc across the United States, resulting in the loss of at least 22 lives. The latest in this string of destructive weather events occurred in Pennsylvania, where a potential tornado caused damage to a school and several homes.
David Truskowsky, spokesperson for the fire department in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, reported roof damage to the local high school and approximately six homes. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but as a precaution, school was canceled for the district on Tuesday.
Located about 70 miles northeast of Harrisburg, the state capital, Mahanoy City felt the brunt of the storm, which prompted the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for the area. Social media buzzed with images of funnel clouds as residents braced for the worst.
Prior to its impact in Pennsylvania, the storm system had already caused fatalities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Notably, seven people lost their lives in Cooke County, Texas, when a tornado tore through a mobile home park. Additionally, eight fatalities were reported across Arkansas, and two in Mayes County, Oklahoma.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, having declared a state of emergency earlier, sadly announced five deaths in his state. Moreover, more than 200,000 homes and businesses were without power on Tuesday morning across Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, West Virginia, and Missouri, according to PowerOutage.us.
Looking ahead, forecasters are warning of further severe weather risks in Texas and Oklahoma, including damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding. This unsettling trend of violent weather continues a grim pattern seen throughout the month, with Iowa, Houston, and other regions experiencing devastating tornadoes and storms.
Harold Brooks, a senior scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, attributes the recent increase in tornado activity to a consistent pattern of warm, moist air. This atmospheric condition, situated at the northern fringe of a heat dome, has brought summer-like temperatures to late May.
Indeed, parts of south Texas faced heat indices nearing triple digits on Monday, while cities like Melbourne, Ft. Pierce, and Miami in Florida broke daily record highs. As climate change exacerbates such extreme weather events worldwide, communities across the US remain on high alert, bracing for the unpredictable nature of Mother Nature’s fury.
