Devastating Tornado in Joplin, Missouri

On Sunday Evening a very destructive tornado ripped through South Eastern Missouri and decimated the town of Joplin. This is said to be one of the most destructive tornadoes of all time, the worst since the 1950s.

Joplin Tornado
May 22, 2011 5:35pm Joplin, Missouri

Sun 2 Gemini (H8); Moon 11 Aquarius (H4); ASC 28 Libra; MC 1 Leo (H2); NN 26 Sagittarius

Don't know anything about Tornadoes. Obviously in that part of the world most of the Tornado Season comes in May so I'm guessing it's a Taurus/Gemini thing. With 195 mph winds I'd assume that Air Signs would be involved. In this particular case that certainly seems to be so since the major factors of the chart, Sun-Moon-Asc are all in Air Signs.

This particular chart has a couple of significant aspects that can be immediately pointed out.

The Inner Planets Mercury, Venus and Mars are in a tight conjunction with each other between 9-11 degrees Taurus in the 7th House. That means that Venus, the chart ruler is also in a sign that she rules. And she is even stronger because she is placed angular in the chart. Now we all know how Libras feel when they have no control over their own lives.

There is also a significant outer planet aspect which is making its last pass with each other. Saturn-Uranus and Pluto are in a t-square. Apex of the t-square, Pluto 8 Capricorn, is placed in H3 (the neighborhood) and is squaring the opposition of Saturn 11 Libra Rx and Uranus 4 Aries-Lilith 7 Aries. These planet's are placed in h6 and h12 of the chart.

I looked up the date of incorporation for the town of Joplin which brought up some interesting astrology.

Joplin, Missouri
inc. Mar. 27, 1873

Sun 8 Aries; Moon Pisces or Aries; NN 26 Taurus

The Sun and possibly the Moon placement show that Joplin is getting directly hit by the big outer planet t-square. This is made more significant by the fact that Joplin has a natal opposition of Saturn 2 Aquarius to Uranus 2 Leo in its incorporation date chart. This shows a sympathetic vibration to current aspects.

Joplin also has a conjunction of Pluto and Venus to its North Node in Taurus which opposes its South Node-Mars conjunction. That's a very volatile (but creative) aspect. Mars was Retrograde at the time that Joplin was incorporated and has since Stationed Direct (1944-45) and has just passed over its "natal" placement by 3 degrees.

Also interesting is the fact that transiting Jupiter (expansion, magnitude) is at 28 Aries. This is in conjunction with natal Neptune 26 Aries and was also exactly conjunct the Descendant at the time that the Tornado rolled through the town.

The Death Toll is currently set at 117. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/05/24/136610695/joplin-missouri-death-toll-rises-teams-search-as-bad-weather-looms). Hopefully that figure won't rise much more. I send my condolences to all these guys. The best way to make a donation to help seems to be through the Red Cross. The site was in the middle of crashing while I was on it so try googling a little later.