Twisters follows a superstar storm chaser – obsession with extreme weather has a deep underlying psychology

The film reflects the public’s fascination with watching extreme weather. New research is beginning to show what draws us to it.

Simon Dickinson, Lecturer in Human Geography , University of Plymouth • conversation
July 16, 2024 ~7 min

‘Twisters’ movie: Two tornado scientists take us inside the real world of storm chasing

To understand how tornadoes behave, scientists need to be near the storm. The movies get some of it right.

Paul Markowski, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State • conversation
July 11, 2024 ~11 min


A new ‘Twisters’ movie is coming – two tornado scientists take us inside the world of real storm chasing

To capture the data needed to understand how tornadoes behave, scientists have to be near the storm. The ‘Twister’ movies get some of it right.

Paul Markowski, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State • conversation
July 11, 2024 ~11 min

What do storm chasers really do? Two tornado scientists take us inside the chase and tools for studying twisters

To capture the data needed to understand how tornadoes behave, scientists have to be near the storm. The ‘Twister’ movies get some of it right.

Paul Markowski, Distinguished Professor of Meteorology, Penn State • conversation
July 11, 2024 ~11 min

2024’s violent tornado season has been one of the most active on record − a meteorologist explains the weather behind the outbreaks

Spring 2024 was menacing for large parts of the US, with a tornado nearly every day in May. Tornado outbreaks tore up communities across multiple states.

William Gallus, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Iowa State University • conversation
June 24, 2024 ~7 min

Midwest tornadoes: What a decaying El Niño has to do with violent storms in the central US

A powerful storm system produced dozens of destructive tornadoes over three days that tore apart homes in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa. A meteorologist explains the conditions that fueled them.

Jana Lesak Houser, Associate Professor of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, The Ohio State University • conversation
April 29, 2024 ~6 min

The estimated 2.5 million people displaced by tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters in 2023 tell a story of recovery in America and who is vulnerable

Census data and research show all things are not equal in disaster displacement, as two experts in disaster recovery explain.

James Kendra, Director, Disaster Research Center and Professor, Public Policy & Administration, University of Delaware • conversation
March 4, 2024 ~8 min

Estimated 2.5 million people displaced by tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters in 2023 tell a story of recovery in America and who is vulnerable

Census data and research show all things are not equal in disaster displacement, as two experts in disaster recovery explain.

James Kendra, Director, Disaster Research Center and Professor, Public Policy & Administration, University of Delaware • conversation
March 4, 2024 ~8 min


Tornadoes in the UK are surprisingly common and no one knows why

Britain doesn’t have huge violent twisters like the US. But it does have lots of little tornadoes.

David Schultz, Professor of Synoptic Meteorology, University of Manchester • conversation
Oct. 16, 2023 ~6 min

Why tornadoes are still hard to forecast – even though storm predictions are improving

Researchers are turning to computer models, drones and other methods to improve tornado forecasting.

Chris Nowotarski, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, Texas A&M University • conversation
March 28, 2023 ~8 min

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