Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes affect communities across the U.S. every year, causing fatalities, destroying property and crops, and disrupting businesses. Tornadoes are the most destructive products of severe thunderstorms. Damages from violent tornadoes seem to be increasing, similar to the trend for other natural hazards in part due to changing population, demographics, and more weather-sensitive infrastructure and some analysts indicate that losses of $1 billion or more from single tornado events are becoming more frequent. Insurance industry analysts state that tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and related weather events have caused nearly 57%, on average, of all insured catastrophe losses in the U.S. in any given year since 1953. Contents of this report: (1) Overview; (2) Issues for Congress: A Focus on Local Warnings and Forecasts for the National Weather Service; Mitigation: The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program; Reauthorizing the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program; Climate Change and Severe Weather: The April and May 2011 Tornados: A Link to Climate Change?; Other Factors Contributing to Risk From Tornadoes; Forecasting and Warning: The Role of the National Weather Service; Summary and Conclusions; Appendix: Risk from Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. Map and tables. This is a print on demand report.

Contains first-hand accounts of tornadoes in the United States, explains why and how tornadoes happen, and discusses ways to stay safe.

For almost a decade, economists Kevin M. Simmons and Daniel Sutter have been studying the economic effects and social consequences of the approximately 1,200 tornadoes that touch down across the United States annually. During this time, they have compiled information from sources such as NOAA and the U.S. Census Bureau to examine the casualties caused by tornadoes and to evaluate the National Weather Service (NWS)’s efforts to reduce these casualties. Their unique database has enabled this fascinating and game-changing study for meteorologists, social scientists, emergency managers, and everyone studying severe weather, policy, disaster management, or applied economics.

Historical wooden architecture is one of the most unique types of heritage built. Built from organic material, wooden buildings remain in harmony with the natural environment and fascinate future generations with its special charm. Because of its uniqueness, wooden buildings reflect the richness of traditional building solutions developed in different parts of the world. At the same time, this type of building contains the spiritual values ​​that were important to those who built these architectural structures. The main topics of 'Authenticity in Preserving Historical Wooden Architecture - Problems and Challenges' are: (i) The method of protection and preservation of wooden buildings as a form of specific historical interpretation; (ii) The question of reconstruction and translocation of a wooden historical building with regard to the level of authenticity; (iii) The analysis of the essence of historical changes and the methods for maintaining and displaying wooden structures in relation to the requirements that determine their historical and architectural authenticity. Showing a variety of aspects of authenticity of wooden buildings, all demonstrated by specific examples (case studies), 'Authenticity in Preserving Historical Wooden Architecture - Problems and Challenges' presents practical implementations of theoretical findings. Hence, the book contributes to the understanding of wooden architectural heritage from a new perspective. The book will be of particular interest to academics and professionals interested in or involved in the preservation of built wooden heritage.

Veteran journalist Mathis has produced a compulsively readable account of one of the most terrible tornadoes in history--a mile-wide F5 twister--and the extraordinary people who kept it from becoming the deadliest.

Introduces tornadoes, discussing what causes them, their different types, and ten famous tornadoes of the past.

This book presents a deep and encompassing survey of severe weather in all its forms. An Introduction to Severe Storms and Hazardous Weather is an exciting new textbook that allows students to learn the principles of atmospheric science through the drama, exhilaration, and even tragedy of severe weather. Balancing breadth and depth, Jeffrey B. Halverson adeptly combines a short, accessible introduction to the basic principles of meteorology with detailed coverage on large- and small-scale weather hazards. He draws on specific up-to-date case studies from North America to illustrate the cause of meteorological events including hurricanes, heavy snow and ice, floods, and tornadoes. Unlike existing books on the market, Halverson delves deep into the societal impacts of these events, drawing on examples from agriculture, utility infrastructure, and commercial aviation. Each chapter also features high-quality, customized color artwork by Thomas D. Rabenhorst that helps to enhance and embed learning. Thorough in its scope, and written with an impeccable focus on the science, this book will be an essential resource for introductory undergraduate courses in severe weather, natural hazards, and extreme meteorology. It is also an excellent supplemental textbook for courses on meteorology and atmospheric science.

Hurricanes and Tornadoes. Climate Change. Global Warming. Droughts and so much more. Answers over 1,000 questions about the basic elements of weather, the latest advances in meteorology, the science of forecasting, and all types of weather phenomena. Weather. We all talk about it – some more expertly than others. With The Handy Weather Answer Book, anyone can master this compelling conversation starter, whether it’s weather basics, climate change, the science of meteorology, or the history of weather forecasting. You will come to understand hurricanes, tornadoes, global warming, and such fascinating weather-related phenomena as the northern lights and El Niño. This comprehensive reference addresses all aspects of weather in an accessible question-and-answer format. Relationships between weather and oceanography, geology, and space science are expertly covered, including answers to such questions as ... What’s the difference between “partly sunny” and “partly cloudy”? Can a rainbow appear during the night? Could our oceans have originated in space? How does Central America affect the climate in England? What the heck is bioclimatology? Are humans really responsible for climate change? Has a hurricane ever struck southern California? Climate change and weather affect us all, and The Handy Weather Answer Book, with its hard science facts, fascinating trivia, and accessible Q&A dialog, ensures that readers will understand the complexities of our planet’s dynamic atmosphere a lot better. This resource is an ideal reference for everyone from students to teachers to amateur meteorologists. With more than 100 color photos and illustrations, this tome is richly illustrated, and its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Chock-full of facts, photos and activities, this title in the Disaster series explores how tornadoes happen, and the havoc they cause.