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Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, 4:15 p.m.: WRKF's transmitter will begin running at reduced power at midnight. This measure is intended to protect our transmitter in case of weather-related power fluctuations. FM and HD listening may be affected, but online listening will not be affected. We plan to return to full power Wednesday night. Thank you for your patience.

The terror of tornadoes and twisters

A waterspout touches down over Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Florida.
A waterspout touches down over Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Florida.

Sirens echoed Monday night acrossseveral states in theMidwest.

According to the National Weather Service, a stormsystem made up of several thunderstorms–known as aderecho–developed over Iowa and swept through parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,andWisconsin.  

Tornadoes then formed in Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois – including one at O’Hare International Airport. One woman died.

More than half a million residents of these states were left without power during the storms and in the hours following, as crews rushed to restore power and clean up fallen trees and other debris. 

This year has seen almost a thousand tornadoes. The first of which was reported near Galveston, Texas, on Jan 5.

We get into what happened with those twisters and what we know about their uptick in frequency. We also discuss what role, if any, climate change plays in all this.

Copyright 2024 WAMU 88.5

Barb Anguiano