Twisters rake U.S.; city shivers in lake breeze

The 2009 U.S. tornado season -- noteworthy, until recent days, for a
twister count nearly 40 percent lower than a year ago -- erupted with
deadly consequences Friday. Powerful thunderstorms, which first exploded
late Thursday in the Plains, churned east Friday, spawning dozens of
tornadoes across six states from Tennessee and Alabama into the
Carolinas. One twister killed a woman and her 9-week-old infant in
central Tennessee while violent thunderstorms ripped roofs off buildings
and destroyed dozens of homes in Murfreesboro, 30 miles southeast of
Nashville. The 35 reports of twisters late Friday made it the most
active day of the 2009 severe weather season. It marked the sixth time
this year that 20 or more tornadoes dipped from U.S. skies in a single
calendar day. Ten such days had occurred by this time last year,
including three days with more than 50 touchdowns. Most active among
them was Feb. 5 when 131 twisters swept the U.S. The outbreak was
especially ill-timed because it coincided with Super Tuesday primaries
in 24 states.
Chill confirms 'lake wind' season
Chicago is in the midst of its "lake breeze season," widely recognized
to run from March into the first weeks of June. An easterly wind blows
of Lake Michigan's chilly waters 42 percent of the time in April --
second only to May, which sees an east wind 45 percent of the time.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune