So far this year we've had a remarkably bad series of tornadoes, which have killed hundreds of people. New York Times reporters interviewed several tornado experts to get their take on popular questions and theories about these strange weather events.
Because of their erratic behavior, which seems to look a lot like a personality disorder, and the circumstances of their births, which seem rather magical, tornadoes turn up in a fair number of films and tv series. One of the most familiar cinematic tornadoes is, of course, the one that causes Dorothy that bump on the head that triggers her adventure in The Wizard of Oz (1939) (and its remakes and parodies). Tornadoes also turn up in two Smallville episodes ("Tornado" and "Vortex"), in an episode of Desperate Housewives ("Something's Coming," 2007), in That 70's Show ("Tornado Prom", 2002), The Virginian ("The Secret of Brynmar Hall," 1964), and Places In the Heart (1984), to name a few (for more, check out the IMDB database and search the section "Plots" with the keyword "tornado".
For safety's sake, take cover when you hear a tornado is on the way. If you see the signs, such as that telltale greenish sky, even if a weather alert hasn't sounded yet, get into an interior hall, room, or the basement. Don't spend time filming the horizon in case a tornado forms. Professionals can film it better than you, and you can watch it later, because you've survived the nastiness. Seriously. Tornadoes are no joke.
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