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.
Tornadoes can occur at any time of the year but in our area, they are most common between May through the summer months. They are usually associated with strong thunderstorm activity and fronts. The average tornado moves from southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction. The average forward speed is 30 miles per hour but may vary from nearly stationary to 70 miles per hour. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of 250 miles per hour or more. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Signs of a Tornado