Scary October Weather Hits Midwest

October may be the time for ghosts, ghouls, and goblins, but not for Lilapsophobia, or the fear of tornadoes. Tornadoes are usually NOT a reason to be scared in October. But residents all across the US are seeing a string of heavy rains and tornado events which have already caused several deaths. In fact, this has been one of the worst tornado outbreaks all year.

So far, 29 tornadoes have hit areas from Florida to Michigan with hail also being reported 166 times. While several of the tornado reports are unconfirmed, it is still a very active tornado outbreak. And, while most of the twisters have caused minimal damage, one mobile home was blown in to a nearby pond in Michigan. Power lines, trees and other small structures have been blown down by the power of the winds in these storms. It is unknown at this time whether the winds that caused all the damage were true tornadoes. While these may not be some of the worst tornado reports in the United States, here are several of the reports from the Storm Prediction Center:

• Trees as large as 2 foot in diameter have been blown over have way up in Madison, Illinois.
• At least one person has been injured as windows in the lobby of the River Plaza condominiums in Chicago were destroyed by winds.
• In Kentucky, roofs were blown from several homes and thrown over 100 yards away.
• Golfball-sized hail has been reported in Indiana and Illinois.

Go to CNN for more reports on the events. Then go to the tornado family safety page for tips on staying safe.