Twister. Whirlwind. Cyclone. Tornadoes can be known by many names, but they all have one thing in common – they can be deadly. The Super Outbreak of 1974 was the most intense tornado outbreak on record, as 148 tornadoes from Ontario to Alabama damaged thousands of homes, killing more than 300.
Meteorologist Tetsuya Theodore ‘Ted’ Fujita spent ten months studying the aftermath. Extensive aerial tornado study, detailed mapping and leaps of scientific imagination led to a series of meteorological breakthroughs, and revealed such phenomena as ‘microbursts’, sudden high wind patterns that could cause airplanes to drop from the sky without warning. Mr Tornado (June 9th, 8.25pm) on PBS is the story of the man whose groundbreaking work saved thousands of lives, helping to protect us all from dangerous weather phenomena.
