Texan authorities report that several fatalities have occurred as a result of a tornado that ripped through the small city of Canton, about fifty miles east of Dallas, Texas.
Up to fifty people were injured during the incident. Tornadoes were also reported to have touched down elsewhere in Texas.
Tornadoes form when a mass of dry, cool air collides with a front of moist air, creating an unstable atmosphere. Sudden changes in wind speed and direction tend to create an updraft, which turns the axis of wind rotation from horizontal to vertical, creating optimal conditions for the formation of a funnel.
An average of 1,000 tornadoes per year are reported nationwide.