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2008: A rare, large and destructive EF5 tornado created a 43 mile long path across Butler and Black Hawk counties in Iowa. This tornado killed eight people, injuring dozens and causing several millions of dollars worth of destruction. After the initial touchdown, the tornado quickly grew in size and intensity as it approached the town of Parkersburg. The tornado was nearly three quarters of a mile wide as it moved through the southern end of Parkersburg. A third of the town was affected by devastating damage with nearly 200 homes destroyed. This was the first EF5 tornado to strike Iowa since June 13, 1976 and only the third EF5 tornado to occur in the United States in the past 10 years.

1896: May 1896 was an extremely active month for tornadoes. On this date the third (estimated) F5 twister of the month struck the thumb of Michigan. There were 47 fatalities, including some entire families. Parts of houses were found 12 miles away.

1917: A mile-wide F5 funnel swept away homes and entire farms near Andale and Sedgwick, KS. 23 people were killed and 70 were injured. The storm raced forward at 65mph!

1953: In 1953, tropical storms began being named after women. Tropical Storm Alice was the first Atlantic cyclone to be named.

1955: It was a bad day for Sumner County, KS and adjoining Kay County, OK, as not one but two F5 tornadoes struck. Half the population of Udall, KS was killed (80) or injured (270) as most of the town was destroyed. It remains Kansas' deadliest tornado. Blackwell, OK suffered nearly 1,000 destroyed buildings, including 400 homes that were swept clean of their foundations. Twenty were killed.

1973: Large tornadoes occurred every day from the 22nd to the 28th. On the 27th an F4 stayed on the ground for 65 miles and killed seven people as it chewed through five Alabama counties.

1979: In the 1979 Memorial Tournament, Tom Watson shot a 69 in the second round in rain, freezing temperatures, and 30 mph winds in Dublin, OH. That was 10 strokes better than the average of the rest of the golfers that day. He continued to play well and won the tournament. He said he was used to it since he is from Kansas City.