Thunderstorms have once again battered the Midwest this weekend, just over a week after previous scenes of devastation.

The meteorological set up which spawned the storms has been an all to familar one across the eastern half of the States recently. A cold front crossing from the Great Plains, dragging cold air down behind it. Warm air ahead of the front pumping up from the Gulf of Mexico. As the two meet and mix the results can never fail to be anything but explosive.

Nebraska, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri were all badly hit by this recent cluster of storms.

On Saturday night, a tornado hit northwest Missouri near the town of Weatherby, leveling a house and ripping a a mobile home from its base. Three people were fatally injured here but amazingly two children were found alive under the rouble.

A US National Weather Service meteorologist said tornadoes were also reported in six other Missouri counties, including one in Platte County that appeared quarter of a mile wide on video footage.

Some of the weekends worst damage was in Marengo, Indianapolis, where witnessess reported tornadoes toppling dozens of trees, practically cutting off the town as roads were made impassable late Sunday,. High winds also destroyed homes and businesses in the town of about 1,000 people.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis said it saw evidence of a tornado touchdown close to it office on the southwest side of the city. The worst of the storm passed south of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but never the less rain still managed to delay the start of the Indianapolis 500 race by a couple of hours.

Sunday's storms knocked out power to more than 130,000 customers in Illinois and the St Louis area. Many flights were delayed or canceled from O'Hare and Midway airports.

The severe weather also swept through Nebraska, including at least two tornadoes in the southern part of the state. Two people jogging in Omaha on Saturday were seriously injured by a lightning strike. The storms also knocked out electricity to thousands of customers across the state.

The line of storms responsible is now clearing the east coast. However, the period of calm for the Midwest may be only short lived - there are signs of another active frontal system developing and pushing eastwards later this week.

Weather News from the last five days:
30/05/2004
29/05/2004
28/05/2004
27/05/2004
26/05/2004

Click here for the Review of the Day