Tornadoes in the United States
The Midwestern states are very prone to tornado activity, as they are part of "Tornado Alley." States included in the area that are hit by tornadoes the most are Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. The Midwestern States are often hit by tornadoes during the late spring and early summer months, especially the months of May and June. This is due to the aforementioned air mass moving northward into the Midwest and combining with another air mass that move southward from Canada. This creates unstable air, creating the potential for storms to strike the most during these months. The frequency begins to decrease in the middle of the summer, as the air mass moves northward into the Great Lakes states.
Tornadoes of 2016
Scattered tornadoes occurred across the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan during a two-day period. Most of these tornadoes remained over open country, though a few caused damage. On August 27, a large EF1 tornado tossed small trailers, destroyed a small barn, and snapped and uprooted many trees near Emerado, North Dakota. An EF3 tornado near Hillsboro ripped the roof and exterior walls from a well-built house, severely damaged a grain elevator, and destroyed half of a metal building. The following night, a multiple-vortex EF2 tornado snapped numerous trees and power poles, completely destroyed a barn, and caused considerable roof and wall damage to two homes near Gary, Minnesota. Eight tornadoes were confirmed in total.