In the wake of last year’s tornado disasters in Alabama and Joplin, Missouri, one thing is clear: the “science” of tornado warning is as much about sociology as meteorology. Before hundreds died in those storms, it was widely assumed that we’d never see death tolls on the scale of the 1974 Super Outbreak, or the storm that devastated Flint, Michigan in the early 1950s.
But the experts were wrong; despite 20 minutes of advance warning, more than 150 people died in Joplin. One reason was the power of the storm; when an F-5 tornado plows through a heavily-populated area, people are going to die. However, the death toll might have been lower if people had simply heeded the warnings.
In one case, the Weather Service interviewed a couple who set out for a local restaurant—despite the fact that tornado sirens were blaring. When they discovered the eatery was closed (because of the approaching storm), they headed to another restaurant. They survived because the staff there was also aware of the threat, and moved customers to a place of safety.
Once upon a time, people headed for shelter when a tornado warning was broadcast, or the sirens sounded. Today, folks go about their business, or grab a camera and head outside. That sort of mindset can be deadly.
The sociology part befuddles me. False alarms are annoying, yes, but to hear the sirens and not at least check what was going on...is beyond me. I watched (via computer) the storm that hit Joplin and it was obvious it wasn’t a false alarm.
That said, I have grabbed a camera and headed outdoors after checking where the rotation was located and listening to a trusted local meteorologist. Of course, the kids and pets were already safe in the storm shelter at the time.