At least 34 people killed as storms sweep midwest and southern states, while rain causes chaos in Melbourne race

At least 34 people have died across six states in the US in the past week as a powerful storm system swept through the midwest and south, impacting states such as Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mississippi. The storms brought a devastating combination of dust storms, tornadoes, wildfires, flash flooding and large hailstones, and left behind a trail of wrecked vehicles, severely damaged buildings and widespread power outages. More than 60 million Americans have been affected by the severe weather.

Since Friday, 68 tornadoes have been observed, an unusually high number for this time of year, as tornado season doesn’t typically begin until May. Wind gusts reached up to 70mph. These intense storms were fuelled by a clash of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, which mixed with colder air from Canada and the Rocky Mountains. This temperature contrast combined with strong wind shear strengthened the rotating vortex of the thunderstorms. The flat terrain of Tornado Alley also assisted the storms, allowing them to develop and move rapidly across the region.