Couple of questions:
1) What is the record for funnel clouds/tornadoes in MD for a year?
2) (related) It seems to me that a lot of the warnings and "reports" that we've been seeing this year are really due to much higher quality equipment and meteorological understanding. Aren't a lot of the reports that we're getting simply signatures on the radar systems that we wouldn't have seen 10-20 years ago? Not that they weren't there then (which is actually my point), but that our equipment wasn't sophisticated enough, and our understanding of local weather phenomena not as complete as it is now, for us to be able to distinguish a squiggle on the radar map as genuine tornadic activity.

Keep up the good work!

FR: 1) Checking on the Maryland record. I know there were 14 in one outbreak on July 27, 1994. 2) Yes. Doppler radar has surely made us aware of more tornadoes than we would have noticed before the 1980s. Population growth and the fact that nearly everyone carries a camera of some sort also likely adds to the total. I also think the NWS is more diligent than ever about surveying damage and documenting the really small EF-0 twisters. It's just good science to gather as much data as possible.

Completely agree on the "good science" point. It's amazing what we know about tornadoes and being able to forecast them. I've been glued to the Weather Channel the last few days, and their ability (obviously along with the NWS) to nail down entire zones for high-risk potential is extraordinary when you compare it to what we were capable of even 20 years ago. As devastating as the storms have been this year, I can't even imagine what it would have been like 20-30 years ago if densely populated areas had been hit like this.

It is kind of amusing (in a shoulder-shrugging way; not to make light of the situation in the Mid-West), though. Over the years here in Owings Mills, I'm sure I've seen enough funky action in the clouds racing overhead that would qualify as "tornadic". I should just start taking video every time a storm comes through and submit it for analysis. I'd probably add a couple "confirmed" reports every year! ;-)

Just an aside:

Would it be possible to create accounts for us to use so that we can avoid the Captcha? I know, I know. Not a big deal, all things considered. But it can be a pain in the butt to figure out sometimes. Which is the point, obviously. But for those of us who are "loyal customers", it'd be nice. ;-)

"dollar ifitorda"???

FR: I'm told we may be moving in that direction. Stay tuned.