Evening star., 1953-06-14
Experts Push Study
Of Tornadoes, Stress
Warning System
3 THE SUNDAY STAR
Washington, D. c.
SUNDAY, JUNE Ia. l0H3
By the Associated Press

AdSG uuOIlCIl CIlcy ucdIO GlIC
roar, clawed the earth in the
screaming winds and counted
their dead in Texas.
This month the same ele-
mental fury struck again, like a
huge giant gone mad, and they
counted their dead in Michigan
and Ohio and Massachusetts,.
Where will the next tornadoes
hit? Mighty as he is with his
atom bomb, puny as he is in the
face Of natures maniacal winds,
can man do nothing about re-
ducing the tragedy of tornadoes?
Weather experts in Washing
ton and the tornado belt" Of
the Midwest were optimistic.
They say that improving net
works of warning systems, set
up in recent years to alert areas
in the path of an onrushing
twister. have undoubtedly saved
lives and damage, and may be
SNPNNOC0 W save A1OAC.
The experts realize their op-
timism is ironic in a year which
may set record for sudden
tragedy out of the skies. In the
first five months of this year,
the United States Weather Bu-
reau in Washington reports, the
Nation was hit by 217 twisters-
an unofficial, unverif1ed count.
The first half of June raised the
total to well over $50. The high
est previous count for a five
month period was 1875 in 1888.
The worst death toll caused
by tornadoes was 1874 in 1925. In
an average year, twiSters kill 227
Americans. This year isn't half
over yet, but the 1853 death toll
already has more than doubled
the annual average.
In most bad years, tornado
damage doesn't run much over
$40 million. But this year, twist
ers already have wrought four
times as much destruction.
Why?
Every month so far this year,
we've been running way above
average on tornadoes," says Ivan
Tannehill, chief Of the United
States Weather Bureaus Division
of Reporting and Forecasting.
"Its possibly due partly to the
fact that we had a lot of warm,
moist air brought over the coun-
try during the winter and early
spring-followed by an unusually
cool April and May?"
Atomic Tests Ruled Out.
Can recent atomic explosions
be blamed? No. say the experts.
There is no possible connection
between man-made blasts and
weather. An A-bomb has only a
small fraction of the energy re-
leased in any ordinary storm,
they insist. ....
But why the optimism?
The chief problem in saving
lives and property is getting ade-
Quate advance warnings from at
mospheric conditions on where
the swirling tunnels Of wind may
strike. The problem within the
problem is pin-pointing the
threatened area.
Generally, weathermen receiv-
ing reports from all sections of
the country, especially the wide
open Midwest, can't pin-point
advance warnings for an area
less than 10000 square miles.
That's too big, being equal to
the size of New Hampshire or
Maryland. The average tornado
rips out a path 800 to 400 feet
wide, 10 to 40 miles long.
But progress is made at places
like the severe storm center
warning center, at Tinker Air
Force Base near Oklahoma City.
In some cases there, tornado
warnings have been issued ac-
Curately for a $500 square-mile
area. That, at least, is reducing
1t to county size. But weather
conditions have to be just right
and they rarely are-for such
close difinition.
Optimistic but cautious, 1t.
Col. E. j. Fawbush. commanding
officer Of the center, says, I'VE
believe we can get to forecast
ing for a reasonable area"
Col. FaWbush indicates that,
II the present rate of research
progress continues, weathermen
in the near future may be able
to call the striking range within
an area of 10 miles by SO miles.
When that happens, every one
In the area would have compel
ling reason to take to the storm
cellars.
The problem is being attacked
on many fronts.
At Oklahoma Agricultural and
Mechanical College, H. L. Jones,
an engineer, came up with a
study indicating that tornadoes
frequently have their own Spe-
cial brand of lightning.
This lightning, seemingly of
higher voltage than that which
accompanies the usual storm,
can be detected on special ap-
paratus. This gives tornado de-
tectives another weapon.
In Washington. DR.. Morris
Topper, a Weather Bureau Scien-
tist. advanced the theory that
sudden rises in air pressure at
the ground may be the actual
trigger" which touches of a
tornado when atmospheric con-
ditionS are otherwise ripe.
Those "nrpSSllro illnDS DIR