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Manchester, South Dakota F4

Photo: Only minutes before, this F4 category tornado had destroyed the village of Manchester, South Dakota

Grasses flatten as a dust-darkened F4 Category tornado roars across the South Dakota prairie. Twisters are colorless, but they usually take on the color of the dirt, debris, or dust they pick up. In some areas, red earth produces dramatic scarlet-hued tornadoes.

Photograph by Carsten Peter