As the U.S. prepares for an active hurricane season, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) faces a potential budget shortfall of over $1.3 billion by August due to a surge in tornadoes and severe storms this year. In May alone, there were four officially declared billion-dollar disasters, bringing the total for the year to 11, with the possibility of more being added.
The period from April through May saw an extraordinary 801 tornado reports, the second-highest since 1950. Since January 1st, over 1100 tornado reports have been recorded, surpassing the yearly average of around 800. This year's tornado activity closely rivals the record-breaking year of 2011.
