Having spent the majority of my life in Tornado Alley, the region nestled between the Northern and Southern Plains of the United States, I have had a front-row seat to the birth of supercell storms. This unique geographical location, where the frigid winds from the Rocky Mountains collide with the warm, humid gusts from the Gulf of Mexico, is a breeding ground for these powerful weather phenomena.

To stay weather-aware during my childhood, our family often spent our evenings watching the local meteorologist, Don Woods. At the end of his forecasts, Woods would draw a cartoon of his trusted sidekick, “Gusty,” whose actions would predict the weather for the next day. This quirky tradition not only informed us about the weather but also added a touch of familiarity to our daily routine.  

However, when we saw Gusty diving for his “frady hole,” we knew storms were on the horizon. Growing up in Oklahoma, spring storms with large hail and tornadoes were always present. I spent many evenings in the storm cellar or locked inside an interior room of our house.  

The storms of my childhood were always scary. Damage was extensive and there was an occasional loss of life, but nothing compared to what we are seeing today. Over the last two weeks, giant supercell storms have ravaged Oklahoma, Texas and other parts of the United States.  

Oklahoma has recently experienced an outbreak of tornadoes. Just this year,