Tornado Slams Mena, Arkansas; Fires Assault Texas, Oklahoma

Mother Nature has been in a bad mood. CNN.com has posted an article about a tornado that has killed 3 in Mena, Arkansas.

The article, "3 dead after tornado hits Arkansas town," goes on to say there were more than 100 homes destroyed and additionally 22 people were injured. However, the extent of the injuries and property damage is not known and will not be until National Guardsman go door-to-door and see who is alright and who isn't.

Mena, located in Polk County, Arkansas, has set up three shelters but indicated that less than 50 people have sought help.

The report tells us that the dead were an elderly couple who had their house collapse on them as well as an elderly woman who was killed by errant debris.

Apparently the tornado just "came out of nowhere" with a high air pressure impact blowing car windows out and it had a very loud sound.

In related information wildfires have been raging across North Texas as well as in Central Oklahoma.

Murray Evans in the Associated Press reports that firefighters were mopping up after Midwest City, Oklahoma was it with fires that were out of control.

The conditions for fires were perfect with low humidity and high winds.

Over 100 homes have been destroyed so far.

Finally, a couple, Matt Quinn and his wife, Cathy died in their home in Montegue about 85 miles NW of Dallas. Matt Quinn was a reporter for WFAA-TV. The couple's son was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he is being treated for burns. He is in fair condition.

The winds are dying down some however, there have been 75 people checking into a state shelter.

Here in my city of Peoria, Illinois, we have been experiencing odd weather.

Today is April 10, 2009 and it is rainy and windy.

Yesterday it was sunny and windy. A few days ago it snowed and the temperature was about 20 degrees.

Peoria has always been known for its odd weather. In fact there is a saying, "If you don't like the weather in Peoria, stick around a few minutes and it will change."

Still it seems like there are an inordinate number of strange weather events all at once.

References:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/weather/04/10/arkansas.tornado/?iref=mpstoryview
http://www.kxmc.com/News/358463.asp
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gwSSrT7-LciDlr1tYmyE9e19oX9QD97FKS400