The 83 tornadoes that have hit the United States so far this
month set a record for the first half of October, according to
the National Weather Service. Last week alone 59 twisters
struck.
?Despite the record number of tornadoes, there were no
fatalities and only twelve minor injuries during this most
recent outbreak,? says Dan McCarthy, a meteorologist at the
federal Storm Prediction Center.
Last week tornadoes struck Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and
Texas. ?Just in those five days, there were more than double
the average number of October tornadoes,? says
McCarthy. ?The average number of tornadoes in October
since the National Weather Service began tracking tornadoes
in 1950 is 29 events. The previous record for the first half of
any October was set in 1998, when 47 confirmed tornadoes
hit various parts of the nation.? 83 in just the first two weeks
of this October is obviously a phenomenal weather event.
?October is not usually this active but, since we are only
halfway through this month, we are watching for any further
changes in atmospheric systems that could continue this
active trend,? McCarthy says.
The most tornadoes for any October occurred in 1997, with
100 reported. The second highest number was 86, set in
October 1998.
Last weekend, tornadoes hit the Alabama, Florida and Texas,
destroying homes and knocking out power. In Florida?s
Panhandle, about 20,400 households lost power Saturday
during a storm that overturned cars and downed power lines.
In Alabama a 63-year-old man was killed when a large limb
from a tree hit his windshield. Two businesses were destroyed
and several houses were demolished.
In Texas, seven homes were destroyed and 68 were damaged
about 60 miles northwest of Dallas. Two people were reported
injured.
Mobile home parks were special targets. In Hondo, Texas,
tornadoes virtually destroyed two mobile home parks, while
doing relatively minor damage elsewhere in the community. "It
just seemed to hop from trailer park to trailer park," one
resident said.
One of the mobile homes that was hit in Texas was picked up
by the wind before it was demolished. A man fled the
structure moments before the twister struck.
According to emergency management director Leigh Anne
Ryals, ?The frame was bent and portions of it were wrapped
around a telephone pole, and the rest was strung out through
the woods.?
