Tornadoes in the heartland
When a twister tears through the American landscape, it can be both a terrifying sight and a catastrophic occurrence; destroying homes, businesses and, often, lives in its wake.
And unfortunately, as we enter tornado season, Mother Nature's wrath becomes increasingly fierce and frequent.
Here, a funnel cloud touches down near Cedar Creek, Texas, on the afternoon of May 19, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This picture -- posted to Twitter at 8:42pm on May 19, 2015 -- shows the tornado that devastated much of Mineral Wells, Texas, that night.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Damage is seen in downtown Mineral Springs, Texas, after a tornado tore through the area, May 19, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Here, a tornado touches down in Cisco, Texas, on May 9, 2015.
One person was killed and another left in critical condition after it tore through this rural farming and ranch area about 100 miles west of Fort Worth.
Tornadoes in the heartland
An ominous twister nears Mineral Wells, Texas, on May 19, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Volunteers and officials search through the destruction near Van Intermediate School, May 11, 2015.
The small city of Van, Texas was struck by a tornado in the evening of May 10, 2015, leaving at least two dead and more missing.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A funnel cloud moves across Ellis County, near Waxahachie, Texas, May 19, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A second funnel cloud is spotted near Cedar Creek, Texas, on the afternoon of May 19, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A tornado touches down in Norman, Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A cowboy hat lies among the debris of destroyed homes, after a tornado swept through the area the previous night in Van, Texas, May 11, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
In this photo, a gigantic cyclone touches down in Hardy, Nebraska, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A tornado cut through parts of Delmont, South Dakota, Sunday, May 10, 2015.
South Dakota Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Kristi Turman said about 20 buildings were damaged.
And to make matters worse, the twister left the people of Delmont without water, power or phones.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Charles Athrom, 7 sits in front of his destroyed home after a tornado swept through the area the previous night in Van, Texas May 11, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A tornado tears through a Kansas neighborhood, May 10, 2015.
Lone belongings in the lone star state
People carry personal belongings along a street of destroyed homes after a tornado swept through the area the previous night in Van, Texas May 11, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A driver spotted this ominous twister, crossing a country road in Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
A whopping 46 twisters tore through the Great Plains that day, killing one person and injuring another 12.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Tornadoes occur when warm, moist air is caught up underneath cool, dry air, traveling in the opposite direction.
This combination is most common in the Central United States, where warm Gulf air intersects with colder Arctic air; an unfortunate event that earned Kansas, Oklahoma and the states around them, the nickname "Tornado Alley."
Here, one such tornado is captured on camera in Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Katie Braley looks over what is left of her grandparents' RV at the Roadrunner RV Park in Oklahoma City, May 7, 2015.
About a dozen people were injured by a series of tornadoes that touched down southwest of Oklahoma City, part of a storm system that flattened structures and caused severe flooding in several Great Plain states.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Sharon Odom takes in what's left of her home at the Roadrunner RV Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Here, cyclones begin to descend from the sky over Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Darla Titus looks through debris in her backyard, the morning after a tornado ravaged Oklahoma City, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This photo shows a funnel cloud forming amidst a larger storm in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, March 25, 2015.
The slow start to the nation's tornado season came to a blustery end that day, after tornadoes touched down in both Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Damon Braley carries his mother's dog, Sammy, who he rescued from under the wreckage of his parents' RV, at the Roadrunner RV Park in Oklahoma City, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Tornadoes touch down across the fields of Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes of the heartland
Looking north toward Moore, Oklahoma, I-35 is shut down due to severe tornado activity, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes of the heartland
This dark twister was spotted near Newcastle, Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes of the heartland
Here, a car is seen crushed beneath a fallen tree in a neighborhood that took a direct hit from a tornado in Oklahoma City, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A twister touches down in Medford, Oklahoma, on May 11, 2015.
Somewhat beautiful, despite it fury.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A resident of the Apollo Mobile Home Park surveys the damage to her home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Becky Braley places an emotional phone call, in front of the wreckage of her in-laws totaled RV in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A tornado outbreak devastated much of rural Illinois, April 9, 2015.
A man surveys damaged property in Fairdale, the next day.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This semi was knocked onto its side, after a tornado ripped through highway IL-64 in Rochelle, Illinois, April 10, 2015.
According to reports, 11 people were injured and one person killed when tornadoes and thunderstorms passed through the northwestern suburbs of Chicago that day.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This picture shows what remains of Grubstakers restaurant, after it came into contact with a deadly twister in Rochelle, Illinois, April 10, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Downed power lines and sheet metal lie strewn about in a neighborhood that took a direct hit from a tornado in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
The damaged interior of the newly opened Barbers Market is seen here, in the aftermath of a series of deadly tornadoes that tore through Oklahoma City, May 7, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Crews search wreckage on the IL-72, after a tornado tore through Fairdale, Illinois, April 9, 2015.
According to reports, seven people were injured and one person killed, when tornadoes and thunderstorms passed through the northwestern suburbs of Chicago that day.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Storms move through the area near Newcastle, Okla., Wednesday, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A woman clutches the few belongings she was able to pull from the debris of her home, after a tornado destroyed much of her Rochelle, Illinois neighborhood, April 10, 2015.
Two people were killed in the powerful storm that left a path of destruction from Rochelle to Fairdale, Illinois.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Crews scour Fairdale, Illinois for unaccounted people, April 11, 2015, the morning after a tornado swept through the area.
Tornadoes in the heartland
An estimated 1,200 tornadoes touch down in the United States each year.
This one tore through Bloomington, Illinois, March 3, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Candy Trudell looks through the wreckage of her home on IL-64, after a tornado swept through the previous night, in Rochelle, Illinois, April 10, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Tornadoes are some of the worst weather Mother Nature has to offer, bringing with them extreme winds that damage everything in their path.
Here, a tree likely uplifted by those winds, splits an Oklahoma house in two, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
People search through debris at a home that was destroyed by a tornado in Rochelle, Illinois, April 10, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A tornado touches down in Kirkland, Illinois, April 9, 2015.
One person was killed in the tiny community of Fairdale, that day. James Joseph with the Illinois Department of Emergency Management said.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This aerial view illustrates the extent of property damage caused by the tornado outbreak in Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
This home was ravaged by the tornados that tore through Oklahoma, May 6, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
A funnel cloud forms in Norman, Oklahoma, May 10, 2015.
Tornadoes in the heartland
Here, a twister is spotted through a car window, near Mineral Springs, Texas, on May 19, 2015.
