Canie, I beg to differ -- this was more than a windstorm. According to what I've read, tornados can occur anywhere in the world and have occurred in every state in the U.S., although some states are at risk more than others. The website referenced below shows that Nevada ranks #49 as at risk for tornados (Alaska is #50), while the midwestern states, in the so-called Tornado Alley, are at the top of the list.

According to the eyewitnesses yesterday, they saw a funnel that they described as a "large dust devil or a mini-tornado." So, it had a funnel, it rotated or whirled, it was strong enough to pull out roof tiles, nails and all and send them flying and strong enough to uproot a mature tree.

While none of my neighbors is a professional meteorologist, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Barbara