Quotes by William Gutowski, professor of geological and atmospheric sciences

Q: What is the probability of Ames getting hit by an F-4 or F-5 tornado?

“There’s definitely a possibility that this could happen. Many years ago, a massive tornado hit Jordan, a small town west of Ames, and completely destroyed the town. There might not be as great a chance of this happening here as further south, but it’s definitely plausible.”

Q: Has this season been an anomaly in terms of violent weather?

“It’s definitely more than average this season, but this fluctuates from year to year. We don’t understand all the causes of these patterns, and so can’t claim to know why exactly this happened.”