Large dense band rainbow seen in skies of Missouri after tornado- 124 dead

uploaded by Prepaid56                Deadlier Storms on the rise?

May 23, 2011 – JOPLIN, MO – April was especially busy, contributing to one of the most severe spring tornado seasons on record. NOAA officials estimate there have been almost 1,000 tornadoes this year, double the total of a typical year, with storms raging from Missouri to North Carolina. This year’s tally of 50 fatal tornadoes compares with about 20 in an average year. This spring’s outbreak surpasses any since 1953, when 519 people were killed at a time when forecasters lacked the technology and ability to warn people well before storms hit. The 1953 toll included 117 people killed when a tornado struck Flint, Mich., 114 from one in Waco, Texas, and 90 from a tornado in Worcester, Mass. The toll from that season was so heavy that it prompted the federal government to help set up ground-based radar systems that allowed local weather forecasters to track storms across regions, rather than relying solely on observational reports from weather bureaus outside their areas. Final numbers on tornadoes and deaths this year won’t be available for months because early tallies include duplicate reports—and some unreported storms. NOAA officials warn that for now the tornado numbers will appear high until local weather forecasters can confirm the final count. –Wall Street Journal