Research help?

[briarwood]

Anyone out there live in the tornado belt? Or have you ever?

I've got some questions for the fic I'm working on. I'm googling for info but I'm not having much luck.

(I know about the little_details com, but I thought I'd try my friends first.)

ETA: Answered by the wonderful geonncannon!

Comments

[geonncannon.livejournal.com]

Oklahoma, born and raised. :D That said, we've only even been threatened with a tornado once, so... I may not be the guy to go to. I'll help where I can, though!

[morgan32.livejournal.com]

Geonn, you're a lifesaver!

What I need to know, and can't seem to find anywhere, is what would the weather be like *before* a tornado appears/forms? I've found all sorts of scientific stuff but it doesn't tell me much about how it *feels*. I don't want to guess.

Also, I presume you get warnings or something from the authorities when there's danger? Can you tell me how those are broadcast - do they interrupt the regular program or what?

[geonncannon.livejournal.com]

Well, a lot of times, it's just a heavy, severe thunderstorm that grows into a tornado. So if you describe what it's like before a heavy storm, you'd be close. Heavy rains, wind, thunder and lightning. Sometimes hail, but I seem to remember someone saying it can't hail and tornado at the same time (that may be an old wives' tale or utter bullshit, because I can't even remember where I heard it).

Basically all you have to know is wind and hard, hard rain.

Warnings, I know a lot more about. You'll have the weatherguys on television. When it's just a storm, they'll have a map of the state in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. It shows where the storm is and where it's going, windspeed, what kind of warnings there are (flash flood warning, tornado warning, tornado watch). This may just be Oklahoma, however. I don't know if any other states have the weathermap on-screen like this.

A tornado warning means conditions are good for a tornado to happen, a tornado watch means one is likely to happen and/or has been spotted.

Once there's a tornado on the ground, or the threat has been elevated high enough, they break into programming and watch the storm continuously. Everyone has have storm trackers out following the storm to give the people back at the studio an eye on the ground.

They'll break in on the radio to give the bare facts, and every now and then if it's bad enough, they'll broadcast live what a certain television weatherman is saying (certain stations have agreements with certain TV stations).

The biggest warning are the storm sirens. They're big horns set up in various places in every town that go off when a tornado is detected nearby or conditions are likely to form a tornado. They sound like air-raid sirens from WWII, I would assume. A loud whooping noise that rises and falls through. Like: "WOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooOOOOOO." It's a very eerie noise and strikes terror into the hearts of everyone who hears it. ;-D

Um... I think I've rambled enough. If you need anything clarified, I'm here for ya!

[morgan32.livejournal.com]

That's perfect! Thank you kindly.

[geonncannon.livejournal.com]

My pleasure! I'm happy when my living in a place with terror-filled weather can help someone out! ;-D

[firstmutant.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! :D

[morgan32.livejournal.com]

Thank you!