I'll do something tomorrow evening.
Tornado Alley moved to Minnesota in 2010. (click title to entry - thank you)
Maybe we should update the state slogan to say; "Welcome to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and 100 tornadoes."
We all know it's been an insanely busy severe weather year in Minnesota, but I about leaped out of my weather lab chair when I counted up the preliminary number of SPC tornado reports by state for 2010.
Minnesota leads the nation in the number of tornado touchdowns this year...by FAR.
Preliminary numbers show Minnesota has 122 tornado reports so far in 2010. The #2 state isn't even close. Texas has reported 87 tornadoes so far in 2010.
That's right folks; the frozen tundra of Minnesota has had 35 more tornado reports this year than Tornado Alley Texas.
Here are the top 5 "tornado states" for 2010.
(Keep in mind these are preliminary numbers through August 15th)
1) Minnesota 122 tornado reports
2) Texas 87 tornado reports
3) Kansas 80 tornado reports
4) Oklahoma 70 tornado reports
5) Colorado 62 tornado reports
Wisconsin comes in 6th with 59 tornado reports so far this year.
The numbers are stunning and remarkable for many reasons.
-This would be the first year in recorded history that Minnesota leads the nation in tornado touchdowns. (I'm still working on confirming this.)
-Since 2000 Texas has lead the nation in tornadoes 7 years. Kansas has lead twice, and Illinois once. Here are the numbers.
2009 Texas 125 tornadoes
2008 Kansas 185 tornadoes
2007 Texas 198 tornadoes
2006 Illinois 123 tornadoes
2005 Kansas 136 tornadoes
2004 Texas 178 tornadoes
2003 Texas 155 tornadoes
2002 Texas 172 tornadoes
2001 Texas 137 tornadoes
2000 Texas 146 tornadoes
-Texas would need to record roughly another 36 tornadoes to surpass Minnesota this year. This is certainly possible, but it seems just as likely Minnesota may hold onto the number one spot at this late point in the season.
-This year may possibly break the all time state record for confirmed tornadoes in Minnesota, which is 74 set in 2001....
Storms black out 82K Michigan homes, businesses (click here)
Associated Press
August 19, 2010 10:54 PM ET
DETROIT (AP) - Thunderstorms bringing winds gusting to 75 miles per hour have pushed through parts of southeastern Michigan, knocking down trees and power lines, damaging roofs and blacking out about 82,000 utility customers.
DTE Energy Co. spokesman Scott Simons says about 80,000 of the homes and businesses it serves lost power. Many are in Macomb County northeast of Detroit. CMS Energy Corp. says about 1,700 of its customers lost power.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings Thursday night, but no funnel clouds were confirmed and much of the damage appeared to be from straight line winds.
Weather service meteorologist Rich Pollman in Oakland County's White Lake Township tells the Detroit Free Press that spotters reported winds of up to 75 mph.
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Michigan Tornado 2010
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-483830?hpt=C2\
CNN producer note
Tirendi was huddled with his family in Macomb, Michigan, on Thursday evening when a tornado came through town. He shot this video of the storm rolling in and items being tossed and smashed in the backyard. 'I caught the start of the rain and wind followed by the high speed wind ripping the gazebo off of the patio to which it was bolted down with 8 large bolts into the wood decking. It blew it off after shredding the fabric roof. I have never seen anything like that it my life,' he said. Tirendi walked away from windows to the interior of the house for safety as the tornado rolled through. Another iReporter captured photos of aftermath from the same storm.
- zdan, CNN iReport producer
iReport — 3 minute video of lightning, wind, rain, hail, and destruction from one of the two tornados that touched down in Macomb Township on 08-19-10 @ 19:30.
It looks like the tornado formed over us so I never got a shot of the funnel.
