The end of May is actually one of the times when we see the most violent tornadic activity, and that's really what we saw there. The official determination from the National Weather Service is it's at least an EF3.
I would bet a good amount of money that they will upgrade this to an EF 4 when they finish doing the survey. They're still out doing it. But one of the interesting things is the last 10-11 days of May, it's actually the time of year where more than a sixth of all of the EF 5 we've ever had in the US have taken place.
So it's really that late in May season where the air masses are clashing and we have all the ingredients to have a volatile atmosphere and a really destructive pattern. And that's some of what we saw in Greenfield.
I don't think it was an EF5, but we certainly saw winds that that when you take a look at the damage, the cinder block buildings, the really well built construction. That was just flattened. That to me says EF3, EF 4 winds, you know, closing in on 200 miles an hour, probably. The 24th of April, that is the last day we didn't have any severe weather in the US.
That's very unusual.
Usually we'll have a day or two break, but the atmosphere has just been charged up and it's been all over the country. It's been in the northeast, it's been in the South, it's been in the plains. And so that also is unique because usually this time of year it's the planes that get absolutely targeted. But we've seen these storms roll all the way across and that has been something that's been unique.
The other thing that we have seen, which is interesting, John, is if you take a look at the trend line over the past several years, we have seen more severe weather. But that is not to say, you know, that's over the past 10 years, 2019, still the high watermark.
But realistically whenever you have an atmosphere that is warmer, it's going to be more volatile, there's going to be more energy in it and that may be manifesting itself in severe weather. We can't in any way call one tornado. Something that's attached to climate change, but we can say the pattern of which things are increasing and getting stronger. That likely is related to a warming world.
Do more reading and expand your vocabulary about Singapore Airline hit by a Severe Turbulence. Singapore Airline hit by a Severe Turbulence.
reel (v): to walk, moving from side to side, looking like you are going to fall
injure (v): to do harm to; to hurt or damage
devastate (v): to destroy a place or thing completely or cause great damage
rip (v): to pull apart; to tear or be torn violently and quickly
horrific (adj): causing extreme horror or disgust
tornadic (adj): relating to a tornado; twisting or turning violently
determination (n): firmness of purpose
bet (v): to risk money on the result of an event or a competition
survey (n): the collection of data by having people answer a series of questions
clash (v): to make a loud metallic noise, crash violently
volatile (adj): likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly or suddenly become violent or angry
damage (n): destruction
unique (adj: being the only existing one of its type
target (v): aim, goal
manifest (v): to show something clearly, through signs or actions. come into sight
