Lloyd Colston, Emergency Management Director for the City of Altus captured these shots of a tornado near Hammon, OK today with his Blackberry.

The first tornado of the decade has been issued. To our knowledge at the current time, an actual tornado hasn’t been confirmed – but the warning went out. So what is the lucky area that received it? Texas…Oklahoma?

At the possible expense of sounding “alarmist”, I am personally concerned over storm safety of Florida’s seasonal winter residents. Having been one myself for several years now, I’m surprised at how many people invade the sub-tropical state each winter to escape the harsh cold air and winter storms of the Midwest, although I fully understand their reasoning for doing so.

My storm chasing tour guest come from all over the world and to a person who is visiting Tornado Alley for the purpose of chasing storms, they sometimes go home with the feeling that a person must be mad to live here. From their point-of-view, if the weather cooperates with the tour during their visitation – they’ll see extreme weather at its best, or sometimes at its worst. But, in reality most people that live throughout the Great Plains have never seen a tornado and most never will.

BUENOS AIRES – A violent storm described as a freak “tornado” killed at least 17 people in the southern part of South America and punched hundreds of houses off their foundations Tuesday, officials said.

A tornado has been reported and has damaged several buildings just north of downtown Minneapolis. At 2:11 local National Weather Service meteorologist say the tornado was reported by the public and has been confirmed.