Ryan Wichman, a meteorologist at WTOL in Toledo, Ohio, couldn't help himself. "I had to share this image from an Iowa tornado last night," he Tweeted earlier today.
As a weather geek myself, I totally agree. Brad Goddard's photo is spectacular. And scary.
And it proves that while we humans like to designate seasons for things, such as spring thunderstorms and summer hurricanes, the weather does what it wants, when it wants.
So we're getting tornados and hurricanes in July, and not just spin-off twisters from tropical systems.
Midwestern storm spotters reported 11 tornadoes touched down in the Hawkeye State on Sunday, July 6. That was not the type of fireworks folks wanted to wrap up the long Fourth of July weekend.
The good news is that there were no immediate reports of serious injuries or deaths. Just downed trees and property damage.
The better news is that the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center says that there is only a slight risk of severe storms — those with damaging hail, a few tornadoes and potentially widespread wind damage — in parts of Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri this afternoon into tonight.
But even a slight risk is nothing to ignore if you're in Mother Nature's stormy sights. So be careful.
And be prepared.
The ol' blog's new Natural Disasters Resources page can help you stay safe and get the assistance, including tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service in some situations, that's available afterwards.
I hope you don't need it, but just in case….
