How to See a Tornado
Nothing-not even photos or video-compares to seeing a tornado in person. Tornadoes, an example of nature at its most intense, are generated by weather conditions that can be predicted, increasing the odds for "storm chasers" to make in-person sightings. Take proper precautions, and you can see a tornado too.
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Instructions
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Familiarize yourself with meteorology, particularly related to storms and tornadoes. Knowledge helps you make predictions about where a tornado will strike. The rest is intuition based on experience.
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Know that location and seasons affect your chances of seeing a tornado, even though tornadoes occur throughout the country at any time. However, of the approximately thousand tornadoes in the U.S. each year, a large number occur in the Texas Panhandle and central and western Oklahoma during April and May.
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Listen to weather alerts on a NOAA weather radio, NOAA website or the Weather Channel on television. An amateur two-meter band (144-148 MHz) scanner radio set to the Skywarn frequency gives you the latest on area storms.
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Recognize the signs of a possible tornado: a greenish tint to the sky, hail, fast-moving clouds and a sound that starts like a waterfall but changes to the roar of a train. Watch for a rotating funnel-shaped cloud sucking in debris.
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Watch the movement of a tornado. Normally, tornadoes move from southwest to northeast, but can also move north, east, southeast and northwest. While you watch, a tornado should move to the left or right; if it's not, it could be moving towards you. Get out of its path immediately.
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Start with a storm tour if you have the time and money. Ask local news weather people for recommendations and check references of storm tour operators.
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Ask an experienced storm chaser if you can tag along to learn more about seeing tornadoes.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep a disaster kit both at home and in your car. Include items like a first aid kid, flashlight and radio with extra batteries, bottled water, non-perishable food, sturdy clothing with shoes and work gloves.
People with an interest in tornadoes can contact the National Weather Service about becoming a tornado spotter after receiving an amateur radio license.
Know the terminology: a tornado watch means that atmospheric conditions are right for a tornado; a tornado warning means that one has actually been spotted touching down.
Remember that tornadoes are unpredictable and dangerous. Take precautions and have backup plans for safety.
