According to a recent list released by Dr. Greg Forbes of The Weather Channel, three Alabama cities rank in the top 10 most tornado-prone cities in the nation.  Not hard to believe coming off of one of the most active tornado seasons in history, the record breaking, deadly and costly 2011 tornado season.  Dr. Forbes gathered data from the Storm Prediction Center between 1962-2011. He uses numbers within 75 miles of the city tornado paths, including the tornado damage path widths and lengths. His method works more with probability of a particular location getting hit by a tornado than using the raw numbers of tornado that have occurred within a metro area.

1.) Huntsville

2). Jackson, Miss.

3). Birmingham
4). Tuscaloosa
5). Little Rock, Ark.
6). Tulsa, Okla.
7). Oklahoma City
8). Atlanta, Ga.
9) Wichita, Kan.
10). Nashville, Tenn.

Image by:  Harmony Mendoza

What is a rain garden?

What is a rain garden?


According to http://www.raingardennetwork.com/, a rain garden is a shallow depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. They recommend that the garden be positioned near a runoff source like a downspout, driveway or sump pump. This will capture rainwater runoff and stop the water from reaching the sewer system.

By building a rain garden using native plants, some property owners can reduce the amount of pollution that would enter nearby water bodies or sewer. Rain gardens can also prevent surface erosion, it can reduce standing water, and create habitat for wildlife such as bugs and birds. They work well in urban and residential areas, so no matter where you live an eden is possible.

To read more on how you can create your own, just click the link in the body of this story...happy planting!