Exploring Nature: T
ornadoes
Great gobs of goose grease, I have recently read about large groups of people who love to chase dangerous storms.
Such as tornadoes. It seems a lot of this was inspired by a movie released in 1996, and titled “Twister.” It starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as storm chasers who tried to release data-gathering sensors into a tornado to help improve early warning systems.
There is even a National Storm Chasers Hall of Fame.
Many chasers carry first-aid supplies to help any injured folks they encounter.
I can only say, to each his own; I personally tend to avoid tornadoes if at all possible. But that’s just me.
There are a number of falsehoods pertaining to tornadoes. For example, one myth is that if you’re on a highway with a tornado approaching, your best bet is to find an underpass to get under. Not so. High-speed flying debris is channeled through underpasses where winds move at incredible speeds.
If a tornado is coming your way, the best bet is to seek a ditch and duck and cover.
Another myth holds that areas near rivers and mountains are safe from tornadoes. Not so. Twisters can go across rivers and up mountains. Consider the 1925 tri-state twister which crossed the Mississippi and Wabash rivers and went on to kill almost 700 people.
A final myth is that opening windows in your home will help equalize pressure and limit damage. Not so. Opening windows will just let in dangerous winds. Best to seek shelter in an interior room, away from windows.
Texas is among the states located in “Tornado Alley” and has seen some killer spinners over the years. If you’re unlucky enough to be in the path of a killer storm, consider climbing in a bath tub and covering up with a heavy quilt — keeping all the windows closed.
And good luck!
