Storms could bring high temperatures to Texas and tornadoes to Oklahoma over Memorial Day weekend, forecasters warn
CBSMay 21
US: Weekend Storms Claim Over 20 Lives
Above: In an aerial view, a wind turbine lies toppled after tornadoes tore through the area yesterday on May 22, 2024 near Prescott, Iowa. Image copyright: Scott Olson/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
At least 23 people have been killed and hundreds more have been injured as a spate of powerful storms swept across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky.
State authorities said the death toll from weekend storms included deaths in Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. At least two children are amongst those killed by a tornado in north Texas on Saturday.
The Spin
Narrative A
Climate change is likely increasing the frequency of these devastating storms, as the warming air increases the number of days of weather favorable to tornadoes. The shifting of both the location and duration of these storms can also be expected, with places like the Mid-South and east of the Mississippi River — and their large populations — at greater risk. With tornado season expanding, earlier preparations must be made to save lives.
Narrative B
The science is not clear on any correlation between tornados and climate change, and there's no evidence that global warming is causing storms to happen more frequently. While some people claim that climate change is causing twisters to be more intense and more frequent — it could very well be the opposite is true, and that a warming climate may suppress the destructive storms.