Science: Predicting a Tornado

A gentle wind blows from the south; then it dies away, and a hot and oppressive calm lies across the land. From the west comes a line of thunderheads. At first they are low on the horizon, but swiftly they rise and swell and dominate the sky. By this time, weather-wise Great Plains farmers, who know tornado signs, are sticking close to their cyclone cellars.

Such weather wisdom warns of tornado conditions only an hour ahead at best; usually much less. This is not time enough to broadcast an alarm to people who spend little time in the open and so cannot...

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