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MNN.COM › Earth Matters › Climate & Weather
Infographic: Tornadoes of 2011
Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes have plagued the U.S. in 2011, leading to record-breaking death tolls and property damage across the country. To grasp the magnitude of the devastation, MNN takes a look at the numbers behind this year's historic storms.

By:

Russell McLendon
Thu, Jun 16 2011 at 12:09 PM
 21

Related Topics:

Weather & Climate, Natural Disasters, Tornado, Infographic
2011 tornadoes infographic
 
2011 tornadoes infographic thumbnailAlso on MNN:
  • 2011 tornado death toll tops 500 and season not over
  • Safe rooms, prefab shelters and tornado-proof homes
  • Tornadoes could be caused by La Nina
  • Top 10 tornado videos
  • Photos: 10 terrifying twisters
  • Explainer: What causes tornadoes?
  • See more MNN infographics
Editor's Note: This infographic has been updated since it originally appeared on June 8, 2011.

You might also like:

anonymous
Jim McJunkins Aug 19 2011 at 12:06 PM

Don't southern evangelicals usually attribute natural disasters to God's wrath for sinful behavior? Ask Pat Robinson. Well, all of these disasters seem to happen in the Bible belt. Hmmmm... They ought to condemn others less and look inside at their own evil. Think they're ready to acknowledge climate change as real? Nope... Probably not.

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anonymous
Sikantired Sep 08 2011 at 10:49 AM

I do so tire of all the fear mongering. When the world as we know it ends, so be it, all the talk of climate change wont make a bit of diference. Your statement reflects your ignorance "all of these disasters seem to happen in the Bible belt". Please do some more research.

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anonymous
Jonathan Daddario Jun 20 2011 at 12:24 AM
Although the tornado activity has calmed down as it usually does with the advent of the summer season, lets not forget that landfalling hurricanes as well as near-misses will also contribute to the yearly total for tornado touchdowns. Keep in mind that avoiding a direct hit from any hurricane does not mean that it's dangers are less to worry about. The cyclonic circulation associated with these monsters sets the stage for tornadoes and stretches hundreds of miles from the eye of the storm, making
.... More
millions vulnerable. We have already eclipsed the yearly average for tornadoes based on the last 10 years and we are only halfway through 2011. This year may very well go down in history for the being the most tornadic year ever recorded since records have been kept. Live smart, live safe, live longer.
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anonymous
julie Jun 19 2011 at 8:19 PM
you ask me its still not good enough but with global warming its going to get worse not better. I believe mexico is next deadly quake, tidal waves from volcanos, viruses you name it. it was bush who told the scientists to shut their mouth, any one checked the ice caps lately they ate vanishing, temps are up, droughts get worse. unless we can get homes that are some where under the ground we will not survive these tornados are getting bigger and faster and more of them.the only way to survive is under
.... More
the ground.
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anonymous
The Regular Joe Jun 19 2011 at 3:48 PM

it seems the whole world is going crazy
http://theregjoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-el-nino.html

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anonymous
KVaughn Jun 19 2011 at 1:54 PM

There were more tornadoes in Missouri than the one shown on the map. One occured on New years eve, another on Good Friday. Both had high destruction and one had deaths. The info is scewed.

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anonymous
Sam Jun 20 2011 at 11:36 AM

I believe the map only shows EF5 tornadoes, not every tornado.

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gzuckier
gzuckier Jul 12 2011 at 10:53 PM

 yeah, we've had several tornadoes in CT this year, but none big enough to show on the map. for the folks in their path, however, they were plenty big.

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anonymous
robert Jun 19 2011 at 2:22 AM

u cannot beat tornato. as u strong enough fight back. that's mother nature.

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anonymous
Not Confused Jun 17 2011 at 4:27 PM

Living with many tornado warnings each year: 24 minutes for a tornado warning is pretty good considering there are always watches and T-storm warnings. In actuality, it might be hard to do much better than 30 minutes for a real warning considering all the T-storms that go from non-tornadic to tornadic on short-order.

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anonymous
sdollarfan Jun 17 2011 at 3:56 PM

You are right about the number of tornados this year not being related to climate change. And the jet stream being further south than ususal this year is a sign that the Earth is actually cooling off. This could be because the sun appears to be in the process of going into hibernation, as reported by NASA and others.

This all points to the fact that the man-made global warming theory may not be correct after all.

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gzuckier
gzuckier Jul 12 2011 at 10:54 PM

 "You are right about the number of tornados this year not being related to climate change"
Uh, who are you replying to?

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anonymous
Guest Jun 20 2011 at 9:57 AM

The sun does not hibernate. I think that you have biology and astronomy mixed up.

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anonymous
Wisdumb Jun 19 2011 at 11:22 PM

I believe the commentor is referring to the reported hibernation of sunspots, expected to be starting now and to last for several decades.

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anonymous
JARiley Jun 17 2011 at 10:19 PM
This is a red herring. No one said anything about climate change in the article. That is a vastly larger trend than any single year can tell us. I've seen far more evidence that the increase in tornadic activity and the shift in the Gulf Stream might indeed be impacted by and the result of Climate Change. The out of control wildfires in AZ, the massive spring flooding in the Midwest and the extreme temps in the upper Midwest and New England of late all fit the climate change models. Anthropogenic
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Climate Change is indeed correct. The debate and lack of absolutes are simply the way that science has always worked. Real scientists are not discounting Climate Change as a reality. NASA's recent accounts on the sun are possible factors that might give us a break in the next decade, but it does not negate the issue! NASA's top scientists also said, "Climate scientists say the swings in solar activity that they've studied so far have had little or no impact on temperatures or other climate indicators — and they don't expect to see a big impact even if the sun goes quiet for a decade or longer. Please take your intentional misinformation elsewhere.
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anonymous
Kyle Jun 17 2011 at 9:40 AM

The EF-5 tornado that "ripped through Joplin with little warning" had a warning issued 24 minutes before the storm hit. Your description is a "little" dramatic!

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anonymous
Guest Jun 18 2011 at 9:30 AM
The first warning to include the affected area of Joplin was at 17:17CST for a doppler radar indicated tornado near Riverton, Ks, moving NORTHEAST at 45mph. A second update stated the same except for a direction change to the EAST at 20mph. The third update included a trained weather spotter's confirmation of a tornado on the ground, headed into Joplin at 17:34. The update didn't get issued until 17:39 giving all media outlets only a few minutes to warn the people of a tornado on the ground headed
.... More
into Joplin. 24 minutes is a great amount of warning time, but keep in mind the warning was issued for a doppler indicated tornado.. If I took shelter every time a doppler indicated tornado warning was issued for my area (just northwest of Joplin) I would spend half of my summer in a storm shelter, and I know there are several others out there who feel the same way. The fact is people don't act unless it's seen or heard on the ground. Joplin just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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anonymous
tornado survivor Jun 20 2011 at 9:49 AM

I live in a tornado prone area which was hit this year again. My family always takes cover when a doppler radar indicated tornado is spotted on the path close to us. If you wait for it to be on the ground it may be too late, it can touch down at any time and it might just be on top of you. You are playing dangerous odds if you wait until it is on the ground to take cover.

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anonymous
Stephen Jun 17 2011 at 4:16 PM

Are you saying that 24 minutes is a "big" warning?

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anonymous
Shadetree25 Jul 06 2011 at 10:17 AM

24 minutes is a HUGH warning as compared to just a few years ago! Katrina victims had a whole week but, they CHOSE to stay and then blame everyone except themselves. If you have that much of a warning, you could drive to another town or head to a basement somewhere.

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anonymous
sharpshooter78 Jun 17 2011 at 11:56 PM

In meteorological terms, 24 minutes is a very substantial amount of warning. 20 years ago warnings were 10 minutes or less.

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