Kansas Had Most Tornadoes In 2008

Associated Press

Kansas led the nation for tornadoes in 2008 for the second consecutive year.

Officials say 187 twisters touched down in Kansas during the year, far more the 116 reported in runner-up Texas and 50 more than the previous state record, set in 2007.

The National Weather Service says Oklahoma finished 2008 with 77 tornadoes. The state averaged 53 per year between 1950 and 2007.

On May 10, a tornado killed six peiople in the Picher area.

Nationwide, 125 people were killed in 36 separate tornadoes in 2008, the most fatalities since 130 were killed in 1998.

Most of the nationwide deaths came from a single storm system that killed dozens in the southeastern United States during an 18-hour outbreak in early February.