Even that small (1-2) tornado that hit my sister-in-law's house caused quite a bit of damage. It took down a grain silo a block away from her house--it was twisted like a pretzel--wiped out a gas station, tore off the one & only stop light in town (it was an overhead) and jammed it into the side of the bank like it was a javelin, tore off more roofs & damaged houses, garages, trees, etc., of course. They come so much faster than hurricanes--and hurricanes stay around much longer.
I just feel fortunate that the wildly unsettled weather is south of us this year. For some reason, because we live close to the bay, we have few tornados in this part of the county. Further south of us--just 10-20 miles--is a different story.