No. The intensity of a tornado cannot be truly determined the intensity of a tornado until after it passes. A meteorologist can, based on radar, look for clues that a strong tornado is in progress, but there is a good deal of uncertainty. In long-term forecasts we can sometimes tell if a storm system has the potential to produce strong to violent tornadoes, but cannot determine where individual tornadoes will occur or how strong they will be, as every outbreak that produces strong tornadoes also produces weak ones.
meteorologists
Numerologists do not forecast weather. Meteorologists forecast weather.
Forecast can be used as a verb or a noun.Verb: Meteorologists forecast the weather.Noun: Today's forecast looks gloomy.
The first tornado forecast ocurred on March 25, 1948. Air Force meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklhoma City noticed that weather conditions were very similar to those that had produced tornadoes earlier in the week. Not long afterward an F3 tornado struck the base, destroying numerous planes and several hangars.
Meteorologists use the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale to rate the intensity of a tornado. The EF scale ranges from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest). It takes into account the damage caused by the tornado to estimate its wind speed, as well as the type of structures affected. The scale provides a standardized way to communicate the strength of a tornado to the public.
The main tool meteorologists use is Doppler radar, which can detect a tornado or the rotation in a storm that can produce them. There are also spotters, who report sightings of tornadoes and other weather hazards.
Tornado strength is typically measured using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which ranges from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest) based on damage caused. Observations made by trained storm spotters, meteorologists, and damage surveys help determine the tornado's intensity. Advanced technology like Doppler radar and photogrammetry also aid in assessing a tornado's strength.
Meteorologists knew that severe thunderstorms were possible and that some might produce tornadoes and so issued a severe thunderstorm watch. They did not include any mention of tornadoes in the forecast as they clung to the notion still prevalent at the time that forecasting tornadoes would start a panic. As a result the people were not warned of the Worcester tornado.
Only to a limited degree. Meteorologists can predict areas where tornadoes might occur when the conditions for them arise. But there is no telling exactly when and where a storm will produce a tornado.
Meteorologists depend on a variety of tools and data sources to forecast an approaching storm, including weather satellites, radar systems, computer models, surface observations, and historical weather patterns. By analyzing these factors, meteorologists can track the development of storms and make predictions about their intensity, track, and potential impacts.
Tornados are generally unpredictable in terms of their exact path and can change direction rapidly. Meteorologists use various tools to forecast tornado activity and issue warnings, but the specific path a tornado will take cannot be predicted with certainty.
The main tool used for track tornadoes is doppler radar, which can measure wind speeds remotely. It can detect the signature of a tornado or the circulation from which one may form. However, doppler radar cannot determine whether or not a tornado is actually on the ground. For that trained weather spotters go out and report any tornado sightings.