Latest Windstorm Headlines
All the headlines from our Windstorm Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Arkansas, Oklahoma Hit Hard by Weekend Tornadoes
Apr 28 2014 // Arkansas, Oklahoma and parts of the Midwest were pounded over the weekend by deadly tornado-producing storms that touched down in seven states. As many as 30 tornadoes have been reported, half of which touched down in...
Poll: N.J. Residents Back Gov’t Storm Mitigation Efforts but Few Willing to Pay
Apr 23 2014 // A newly published study from Rutgers University in New Jersey shows that most state residents strongly support government programs aimed at lowering the likelihood of severe damage from future hurricanes. The study also...
Local Officials Urged to Educate Public on Storm Risks, Building for Future
Apr 21 2014 // Two of the country’s top disaster experts challenged emergency managers and forecasters from Texas to Maine to help educate coastal residents and developers about hurricane hazards. Speaking at the National Hurricane...
Farmers Insurance Expects $75M in Claims from Midwest Storms
Apr 17 2014 // A system of severe weather moving through multiple Midwest states in early April brought tornadoes, hail, severe winds and flooding in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. Farmers Insurance estimates that its expected...
Forecasters to Issue Special Maps, Warnings on Storm Surge
Apr 17 2014 // Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center hope new color-coded maps they’re trying out this year will simplify two important points about storm surge for coastal residents: how far from the beach the water will...
N.J. Residents Providing Valuable Storm-Proofing Ideas for Post-Sandy Rebuilding Efforts
Apr 15 2014 // While scientists, politicians and engineers ponder ways to better protect New Jersey from storms like Superstorm Sandy, some of the best ideas are coming from those who suffered the most. As the second summer after Sandy...
Texas Windstorm Insurer Opens 24-Hour Claims Call Center
Apr 15 2014 // The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the insurer of last resort for wind and hail along the Texas coast, reported it has established a Claims Call Center that is open 24 hours, seven days a week. TWIA is encouraging...
Oklahoma on a Tornado-Less Streak: 8 Months Without One
Apr 14 2014 // Oklahoma hasn’t had a tornado or a tornado warning for more than eight months, though it is doubtful Oklahoma will be able to match its longest streak ever without a twister. Things have been unusually quiet through...
Estimate of Insured Losses in North Texas Storms Reaches $300M
Apr 9 2014 // The storms that rolled across the Denton area in north Texas in early April are estimated to have caused $300 million in insured losses. The area was hit by softball size hail and three tornadoes. The thunderstorms erupted...
Oklahoma School Storm Shelter Proposal Passes Senate Committee
Apr 4 2014 // An Oklahoma Senate committee has passed a measure calling for a public vote to allow school districts a one-time increase on bonding capacity to pay for school safety upgrades like storm shelters and safe rooms. The Senate...
Large Hail, Tornadoes Pound Denton, Texas Area
Apr 4 2014 // An outbreak of severe thunderstorms north of Dallas, Texas, on Apr. 4 produced hurricane force winds, tornadoes and hail reported to be as large as grapefruits. Several communities are reporting extensive damage. Severe...
Alabama Braces for Possible Tornadoes
Apr 3 2014 // Forecasters say a pair of storm systems will bring the threat of isolated tornadoes to parts of Alabama. The National Weather Service expects severe weather to move into the state late Thursday into early Friday, with...
Texas Windstorm Insurer Sued for Passing on Ike Costs to Policyholders
Apr 2 2014 // A Corpus Christi man is suing the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association for hundreds of millions of dollars because he says it improperly passed on costs to policyholders like him after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Ramiro Gamboa...
Final Report on Joplin Tornado Highlights Communication, Building Standards
Apr 2 2014 // A federal agency’s final report about its technical investigation into the 2011 Joplin tornado calls for nationally accepted standards for building design and construction, and public shelters and emergency...
Tornado in Western Minnesota Damages Farms
Apr 2 2014 // A tornado has damaged at least three farms in rural Minnesota, but no injuries are reported. Yellow Medicine County Sheriff Bill Flaten said in a statement the tornado was reported about 4 p.m. on March 31 southeast of St....
Insurer Group Opposes Lower Named Storm Maximum Deductible in Louisiana
Apr 2 2014 // A proposal in the Louisiana Legislature to reduce the maximum deductible on named storms and require winds in excess of 125 miles per hour before the deductible could be applied would likely result in higher insurance...
Oklahoma Bills Would Limit Liability of Shelters During Storms
Mar 31 2014 // A pair of Oklahoma legislators says businesses, schools and churches that open their doors to passers-by during violent weather should be spared liability if their temporary guests are hurt or killed. A bill by Rep. Larry...
Proposal Envisions Artificial Islands Near N.Y. to Blunt Future Storm Surges
Mar 31 2014 // A string of artificial islands off the coast of New Jersey and New York could blunt the impact of storm surges that proved so deadly during Superstorm Sandy, according to a new proposal. It’s a big proposal —...
Northern California Sees Tornadoes Touch Down
Mar 28 2014 // Several tornadoes touched down during storms in Northern California, including one twister near Sacramento that damaged a dozen homes and left a path of debris about 300 yards long. The National Weather Service says a...
PERILS Latest Loss Estimates: Windstorm Tini $338 Million; Dirk $486 Million
Mar 26 2014 // PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization providing industry-wide catastrophe insurance data, announced that its initial loss estimate for Windstorm Tini, also known as Darwin, which affected Ireland and the United...
