Author Topic: Predicting tornado by a tv  (Read 8024 times)

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Offline chief-david

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Predicting tornado by a tv
« on: October 28, 2009, 12:05:23 PM »
We are watching parts of 'twister' in class.

At the drive in, they look at the tv and it goes fuzzy,

I remember hearing many years ago that a tv could tell how close the tornado was to you.

Could someone please explain this more? the net was no help.



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Offline mackbig

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2009, 12:16:32 PM »

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Offline port1

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2009, 09:06:49 PM »
 :-k  Hmmm...Tornado Pulse Generator...way interesting.
I like it!
 8-)

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Offline ironton

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2009, 09:41:03 PM »
I recall  a couple times where my dad tuned the TV to channel 13, adjusted the brightness so the picture was almost black then turned to channel 2.  The TV was supposed to get brighter on channel 2 as a tornado approached.  We tried only a couple times and never detected one - but we never experienced one either. :-)

A Google search of "tv brightness predicts tornado" gave me this page as the first hit that describes that same procedure ( page 4).
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~lharris/tornadoes.htm

edit -
I've never watched that movie so don't know what they were showing.

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blackjack52

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2009, 10:35:59 PM »
This would probably be the correlation of increased lightning activity >250/min w/in a mesocyclone and increased chances of TOR formation. This however, isn't foolproof, as the EF-2 that traversed my backyard back in may had <100 strikes/min.

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2009, 11:27:51 PM »
Keep in mind though this theory of detection was based on the reaction of analog signals to atmospheric interference, not digital signals.   ;)

Tornado and lightning detection is about all my early 70's B&W 13" Zenith is good for anymore.   :lol:
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blackjack52

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2009, 11:51:38 PM »
Keep in mind though this theory of detection was based on the reaction of analog signals to atmospheric interference, not digital signals.   ;)

Tornado and lightning detection is about all my early 70's B&W 13" Zenith is good for anymore.   :lol:

You mean you have to push a button? Did you get one of those free Obama converters?

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2009, 12:08:35 AM »
....You mean you have to push a button? Did you get one of those free Obama converters?

Yeah, push buttons, turn knobs and you have to even leave your chair to do it!  Strange how we lived once upon a time.  I do have a couple of Obamavertors but I seem to have become rather attached to a color picture in more recent years.   :lol:
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Offline W Thomas

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2009, 10:11:18 PM »
....You mean you have to push a button? Did you get one of those free Obama converters?

Yeah, push buttons, turn knobs and you have to even leave your chair to do it!  Strange how we lived once upon a time.  I do have a couple of Obamavertors but I seem to have become rather attached to a color picture in more recent years.   :lol:

Wasn't it analog channel 13 that was best for this?? Can't remember for sure but with the digital cut over it won't matter to most any way.
Our digital reception here OTA is disgusting at best... Kinda obvious I am not a big digital tv  lover :grin:


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Offline chief-david

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2009, 10:36:43 PM »
I recall  a couple times where my dad tuned the TV to channel 13, adjusted the brightness so the picture was almost black then turned to channel 2.  The TV was supposed to get brighter on channel 2 as a tornado approached.  We tried only a couple times and never detected one - but we never experienced one either. :-)

A Google search of "tv brightness predicts tornado" gave me this page as the first hit that describes that same procedure ( page 4).
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~lharris/tornadoes.htm

edit -
I've never watched that movie so don't know what they were showing.


Thanks- I am still not sure if I want to trust my life to a hunch. Maybe I would just go outside and look.

Everytime there was a storm warning-my grandma would go to the basement and my grandpa would go outside.




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Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2009, 12:32:16 AM »
...Everytime there was a storm warning-my grandma would go to the basement and my grandpa would go outside.

Now we know which you took after.   :grin:

My grandparents would normally watch TV right through it.   #-o  Fortunately they were not at the farm the time lightning hit the TV antenna and well pump (above ground hand pump converted to electric for the horse trough) blowing the switch box apart on the pole next to it and toasting the motor, blew two fuses out of the fuse box in the cellar, and knocked a couple boards off the soffit of the house.  How the old house avoided catching fire and the barn remained unscathed next to the pump that day we'll never know for sure.   [-o&lt;
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Offline chief-david

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« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 03:29:56 PM by chief-david »



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Offline port1

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2009, 06:10:36 PM »
 :-( Ah, always that caveat!
"In theory, YES, but in reality, NO"
Isn't that the case with just about everything? #-o

I still say: "Better than nothing!", everything else being equal.

 8-)
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Offline HailHunter

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Re: Predicting tornado by a tv
« Reply #13 on: November 13, 2009, 05:54:33 PM »
I always thought that scene in twister was just an indication that a reception tower or something had been knocked out by the incoming tornado. I never gave consideration that it might be the tornado itself somehow running interference (you know, besides jacking up the tower lol.)