The storm that struck Dunlap, Indiana, during the 1965 Holy Palm Sunday tornado outbreak spawned twin tornadoes that circulated around each other, as seen in the film. These twin tornadoes were captured in one of the most well-known photographs in weather history.
Large tornadoes are often made up of smaller vortices circulating within a single funnel. These multi-vortex tornadoes can cause the most devastation in the aftermath of a terrible storm. Sometimes called small suction vortices, they have been recorded by mobile Doppler radar with wind speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour.
Movie “twins” are possible, but what about flaming tornadoes? Twisters In a climactic moment, a violent tornado blows through an industrial oil refinery and multiple fireballs fill the stormy sky, which briefly engulf the flames and become a terrifying (but short-lived) fire tornado.
Fire whirls do exist, but they’re not like the ones depicted in movies. Raging wildfires are well known for creating their own weather. If conditions are right, some of these fires can produce thunderstorms above or near the fire.
Most fire whirls originate from the ground, similar to dust whirls, but the strong wind shear generated by the fire itself can cause a fire cumulonimbus cloud to gain the rotation necessary to generate a tornado.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service confirmed that a firestorm occurred during the Carr Fire near Redding, California on July 26, 2018. The investigation team determined that the firestorm produced winds in excess of 140 mph, the equivalent of a powerful EF-3 tornado.
All The actors perform complex visual effects and scientific terminology. Twister The answer is simple: Can a tornado be stopped?
The story follows protagonist Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) from her days as a tornado-chasing meteorology student to her journey as a degreed meteorologist who gets caught up in storm chasing again, for science. (Fans of the 1996 film might chuckle at the scene where Bill Paxton repeatedly says, “I’m not coming back” before hopping in his truck to chase tornadoes.)
Kate’s mission in life is to stop tornadoes before they cause death and destruction, and in her research she attempts to launch superabsorbent polymers (described by one character as “like the stuff they use in diapers”) into the tornado to soak up the water and cause the storm to deflate and dissipate.
It’s a noble goal, but one that’s been realised on the big screen.
People have come up with many theories over the years about how to stop storms before they cause damage downwind. Absorbing moisture or, conversely, “seeding” the storm to produce rain are two options proposed by storm-stopping hopefuls. But the forces that produce massive thunderstorms and tornadoes are too great for humans to directly thwart in any meaningful way. The brief introduction of diaper-level absorbent material would undoubtedly not achieve the goal.
Reliable technology, advance warning, and emergency planning are the only surefire ways to stay tornado safe. And at the end of the day, that’s always the case. Twister The film, while taking some artistic liberties, is mostly about the importance of science to understand and prepare for storms. The rest is just a ride.
