h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Hurricanes do not just appear out of the blue"

Thank, uhh, heaven. I grew up in Oklahoma where they have major league tornadoes, which give little warning. I did read about a tornado alarm based on sound frequency - you get maybe 30 seconds warning. Here in Houston we get several days warning for hurricanes. My wife and I rode out Hurricane Alicia many years ago, not much fun. Next time I may drive up to Oklahoma - after checking for tornado warnings.

Hi Steve

Interesting to read about your experiences. I've friends living in Southlake TX with a daughter at Uni of Oklahoma in Norman so know about the Tornadoes in the area. My only experience of hurricanes has been when visiting Florida (from the UK) and having to evacuate in 98(?) from St Pete to the Orlando area from hurricane George. It was an experience and a half I can tell you! Fortunately it changed directions and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. A year later in the same place we lived through a tropical storm and my thoughts were 'oh not this all over again'.

Until you have experienced them it's difficult to imagine the devastation that they cause and how seriously you have to take the warnings.

Yup, these big storms are not as terrifying as tornadoes, but can cause a lot more total damage. I don't know the numbers, but I suspect Tropical Storm Allison did more damage than Hurricane Alicia here in Houston. While Alicia had some strong winds (Category 3, I think) the flooding from Allison got into many, many places. A friend of ours who lives nearby got up in the middle of the night and stepped into a foot of water in his bedroom.

There are also tornado early warning devices based on TV broadcasting static produced by tornadoes in the UHF bands most frequently used in local TV broadcasting.

The static indicates an active tornado blowing somewhere and can also be used as a basis of radiolocation of the tornado by means of triangulating on the signal from two or more receiving stations.