“ TORNADOES: A SPOTTERS GUIDE ” 1977 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FILM TORNADO PREPAREDNESS XD47924

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This film, produced by Mike and Betty Dirham, Inc. was created as part of a National Weather Service public awareness campaign, to try to educate the public about tornadoes, and to train staff "tornado chasers". It depicts the formation of storms which produce tornados and the necessity for tornado spotters in addition to using radar equipment. The film was narrated by senior NWS forecaster Alan Moller and featured technical guidance by the NWS' Dan Purcel. Organizations involved include the Disaster Preparedness Office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (:10). The film opens with footage from May 26th, 1976 as a massive storm system moved from the south west towards northern Texas (1:01). Hail pours out from the storm as it headed towards Dallas (1:14). Tornado spotters take to the road to chase and record the storm (1:20). As they chase the storm down, radio operators of the National Weather Service remain in contact (1:23). Weather reports received from the spotters are compared to the radar reports (1:26). One spotter (1:36) views the massive storm’s wall cloud just west of Dallas (1:36). The Tex-Mex chain Pulida’s, opened in 1966 and still operating today, sits in the foreground as the cone of the tornado is captured behind it (1:47). The tornado tears trees up as it moves over northern Dallas (1:59). In the instance shown, the tornado spotters were able to catch the tornado forming which radar alone was unable to (2:25). Cumulous clouds are highlighted as what most storms form from (2:45). Updrafts are seen growing upwards to higher altitudes (3:09). An area where the rain and hail would fall from is noted (4:50). The following footage is sped up to show the formation of a storm about ten miles wide (4:58). Another storm’s formation is also time lapsed (5:04). The view switches to under the cloud base (5:17). Rainfall is noted to be coming out from the bottom right of the cloud base (5:33) while the rainless left side of the base is likely where the tornado is to form from. The camera pans out to show vertical cloud towers (6:18). Clouds spiral as the tornado takes shape (7:18) and touches down (7:27). Another tornado is captured as it forms (7:36). Small detached clouds spin around the cone of a tornado (7:45). Dust spirals outwards as the cone touches down in Cabot, Arkansas (7:54). Although it is not always visible, there is always a connection between the funnel and debris cloud (8:52). A massive dark debris cloud is captured as a column of dust (9:08). In Lindsborg, Kansas, September of 1973; the wall cloud of a storm formation is captured (9:48). The giant tornado is then formed (9:53). About a half an hour later, this same storm blows through Salina, Kansas (10:05). The tornado then slims out to form a rope like filament (10:10). The film turns to show how to spot storms at night (10:42). The first hint is if there is hail, the storm is near (10:52). As lightening strikes, portions of the wall cloud are highlighted (10:58). A tornado over Tulsa is viewed (11:07). Flashes of light are captured as it strikes power lines (11:14). Tornadoes are also difficult to spot when enveloped in rain (11:19). The dark area behind the roll clouds are noted here as being rainfall (11:25). Tornadoes have the ability to split into multiple tornados (11:50) which can also rejoin one another. This particular storm is viewed in Xenia, Ohio in 1974 (11:55). A wall cloud is captured over Oshkosh, Wisconsin (12:19). This produced a multiple vortex tornado. Mammatus clouds (12:49) poke down from the opposing side of anvil (12:46). A few shots of roll clouds (13:39) and rain falling (14:04) follow. The life cycle of a tornado is to be looked at next as the wall cloud is first formed (14:48). Thirty minutes later the tornado forms (14:54) and grows to maximum size about ten minutes after this (15:01). The tornado burns towards the end of it’s life cycle (15:11). It levels a farmhouse as it is still incredibly destructive (15:22). The aftermath left in it’s wake is captured (15:35). A man lifts a young child from the debris (15:42) as the film warns early detection and warning saves lives. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seal closes out the film (15:52).
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...