Powerful storms described by the National Weather Service (NWS) as "historic" in their violent intensity are currently battering vast swathes of the US South and Midwest. More than 30 tornadoes have swept through numerous states, causing widespread damage to homes and businesses and claiming several lives.
As the NWS warns of more chaotic climate conditions to come, many are asking why the United States is experiencing such destructive weather patterns. Click through the following gallery for answers and an overview of the destruction so far visited upon at least eight US states.