1. SEVERE DAMAGE IN OKLAHOMA AND NORTH CAROLINA HIGHLIGHT 3-DAY, 15- STATE TORNADO OUTBREAK 145 TORNADOES; 44 DEATHS THURSDAY, APRIL 14- SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA

2. 2011’S APRIL MAY BE ON TRACK TO BECOME THE WORST APRIL EVER FOR TORNADOES

3. During the past 30 years, the United States has averaged 135 tornadoes in April, the highest number being 266 in 1974 (National Climatic Data Center)

4. THE CAUSATIVE STORM: APRIL 14, 2011

5. CHRONOLOGY FROM THE PACIFIC TO OKLAHOMA, TO ARKANSAS, TO MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA, TO NORTH CAROLINA, AND POINTS IN BETWEEN.

6. This storm system, which first developed over the Pacific, intensified when it got to the central Plains on Thursday where the dry western air collided with the warm humid air from the Gulf of Mexico.

7. From there, the storms developed as expected over Oklahoma, with double vortex funnel clouds in some cases..

8. Overnight, the storms merged into a fast-moving front crossing Arkansas and into the Mississippi River Valley, drawing fuel from daytime heating, before moving on into Mississippi and Alabama and the Appalachians on Saturday.

9. Then the storm strengthened again as a result of the daytime heat for the third day of tornadoes that hit North Carolina hard..

10. TUSHKA, OKLAHOMA DEVASTATED

11. TUSHKA, OKLAHOMA: MOBILE HOME DESTROYED

12. TUSHKA, OKLAHOMA: CAR OVERTURNED; BUILDING DESTROYED

13. COLERAIN, NORTH CAROLINA: DAMAGE

14. RAYLEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: DOWNED TREE

15. RAYLEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: DOWND POWER LINES

16. RAYLEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: DEBRIS IN STREETS

17. SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA: LOWES HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE

18. SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA: DAMAGE TO LOWES