It need not be camera angles and computer animation though. Just ask people in Great Barrington or long-time residents of Worcester who lived through the most devastating Massachusetts tornado in history. Tornadoes are the most violent storms in nature and they can often be deadly. By making observations and taking detailed measurements, chase teams and research scientists hope to be able to better predict exactly when and where tornadoes will form, how strong they will be, and what areas they will most likely affect.
More advanced prediction creates increased warning time, which ultimately saves more lives.
The current lead warning time averages 20 minutes or less. Highly sensitive Doppler weather radar has added valuable minutes to warnings by detecting small scale rotation in the storm before a funnel cloud even forms. A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air descending from the base of a storm cloud. If the funnel touches the ground it is considered a tornado. Keep alert, listen to the radio or watch TV, and watch the sky.