In October 1859, the U.S. military arsenal at Harpers Ferry was the target of an assault by an armed band of abolitionists led by John Brown (1800-59).
A tornado appears as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Some tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds obscure others.t is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado. 1  Tornadoes cause an average of 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries in the U.S. each year. 2  The strongest tornadoes have rotating winds of more than 250 mph.
NOAA Photo Library. Tornadoes often pop up in America's tornado alley, but they can develop in any state and at any time. FEMA states that tornado winds can reach more than 300 mph, but most travel approximately 30 mph. A direct hit by a tornado, even a small F-1, can destroy a home.In 1999, winds caused nearly $1.6 billion in damage to homes in the Oklahoma City area. Much of the destruction might have been averted had safe building techniques been in place.OAA Photo Library. Tornadoes often pop up in America's tornado alley, but they can develop in any state and at any time. FEMA states that tornado winds can reach more than 300 mph, but most travel approximately 30 mph. A direct hit by a tornado, even a small F-1, can destroy a home.