Miller will stress that it s not simply the wind that s the threat, it s what s in the wind. Yet a sheep-like willingness to follow this deadly myth continues with people running for overpasses as soon as a tornado is spotted or a warning is issued. He blames the trend on an endlessly televised video shot on the Kansas Turnpike in April 1991. Plus, the tornado never directly hit them, despite the sound of rushing wind and the appearance of flying debris on camera. The monster tornado that struck central Oklahoma that day also was an F5, the highest class on the six-level Fujita Scale .
Meteorologists observing tornado damage use it to estimate tornado winds.
With their campaign to heighten awareness about the overpass problem and inform people of the wide availability of severe weather information, weather service meteorologists believe they will eventually reverse the trend. Still, Miller recalls a colleague s report of a friend who moved to a new apartment building immediately after May 3. But, oh my gosh, we have a lot of work to do.