That kind of thing usually happens when we have an unusually cold spring in the NW. Seems like the number of years between tornados is getting fewer and the size, intensitiy, and damage from the tornadoes has been getting worse in the past decade.

Ours are actually called "cold-core funnels". Had a big one a couple of years ago. It was about 1/4 mile wide and tore a path about 2 miles long. Uprooted 100 year old huge fir trees, lifted them up, moved them over, and laid them down!

My best friend of many years had that tornado go right into his house. It pulled up huge old trees next to his house and deposited them some feet away. Also ripped up a picket fence that went all around his house, only about 10 feet from the walls. A billboard about 50 feet from his house, supported by huge steel "I" beams, was bent over like it was tin foil. Deposited the fence scattered across an acre of land. Didn't touch a single shingle or do any damage to his house but the hail (about half-inch) left his car dimpled. Others weren't so lucky. Newer, more sturdy homes had their roofs ripped completely off. Wind speed was about 120mph and his house was untouched. Amazing.