The wind is stripping the trees!

I'm in Pennine West Yorkshire and was relieved to get home safely yesterday - insane gusts of wind, driving rain, bits of tree in road etc. I had to move my huge heavy container plants to stop them going over while keeping an eye on the roof (ominous sounds). As bad as I have ever known and unusual for this time of year.
But yes our thoughts have to be with Joplin and othery terribly afflicted areas.
What's going on? Only a few weeks back we were getting the sort of hot weather that we don't often get, even in Summer. The weather is indeed on steroids, as someone said.
What with everything that has happened so far this year, I'm inclined to think
Something nasty comes our way....