NOVA Tornado! Original Broadcast, 1985

NOVA Tornado! aired nationwide on all PBS affiliates in November 1985. This comprehensive public documentary on storm chasing and scientific severe weather research followed University of Oklahoma graduate students and researchers with the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma in their attempts to deploy TOTO (short for TOtable Tornado Observatory) in the path of a tornado to collect in situ data. The original research Doppler/NEXRAD radar at the National Severe Storms Laboratory is also prominently featured. This was prior to the launch of the WSR-88D Doppler Radar and modernization of the National Weather Service in the 1990's. Survivor stories from a devastating F5 tornado at Barneveld, Wisconsin on June 8, 1984 was also paired into the documentary. The production was produced between May and June 1985, just after the first and only successful deployment of TOTO, of which is not featured. Instead a demo deployment from June 2, 1985 was inserted at the end of the program from dramatic effect. Video © 1985 WGBH, PBS NOVA.