1/ The tornadoes that ripped through six US states on Dec. 10 were some of the deadliest on record. While the intensity of any given storm is difficult to predict, Friday’s storm brought together a unique set of factors that contributed to its severity. qz.com/2101506/what-m…
2/ The powerful thunderstorm system that gave rise to the tornadoes was the result of unseasonably warm, humid air combined with a powerful cold front created by the La Niña weather pattern that the US is currently experiencing. qz.com/2101506/what-m…
3/ But what set this storm apart was the distance over which it was able to stay strong. The storm traveled 250 miles across Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky over the course of roughly three hours. qz.com/2101506/what-m…
4/ As tornado alley shifts eastward, storms are striking more vulnerable communities. A 2021 study found that places in the southeast were the most impacted because more frequent storms were touching down in places with existing vulnerabilities. qz.com/2101506/what-m… 
5/ Timing also plays a huge role in the lethality of tornadoes. A 2010 study found that tornadoes that happened in the overnight hours caused nearly 2.5 times more casualties than tornadoes that hit in the early afternoon, and nearly 50% more injuries. qz.com/2101506/what-m…
6/ Tornadoes are fairly common in the central US, which experiences roughly 1,000 of them every year, but they rarely cause so much destruction in a single event. Read more: qz.com/2101506/what-m…
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