MOLINE, Ill. — The new adaptation of "Twisters" is two hours of big trucks, death-defying stunts and lots of big, scary tornadoes. But is the science mentioned in the movie accurate?
Storm Track 8 Meteorologist Morgan Strackbein gives her review, without spoiling the film.
Shelby Kluver: Okay, Morgan, we've both been really excited to do this. We both saw the movie and loved it. We're not going to give any spoilers, like we said, but why don't we start off with the science in the movie! There's a ton of it, and a ton of meteorology terms. Is it all accurate?
Morgan Strackbein: Yeah, I actually was really surprised with how accurate was! It actually made me really excited, because with the first film, there's a lot of inaccuracies with the science, but it's still just a nostalgic film to a lot of people in this field.
But with this film, you hear them talk a lot about what we actually talk about when we're tracking storms. The cape, the shear, the moisture, all these things that are necessary. And then they do a really good job of explaining different things that we also talk about on air and just kind of turn it around and make it a little more accurate for us.
Obviously, there's still a lot of ridiculousness to the movie. It's dramatic. It's a movie. It's supposed to be. But yeah, they did actually really good job on it.
Kluver: I didn't know that the first movie had some inaccuracies!
Strackbein: A lot of inaccuracies, a lot.
Kluver: Good to know! And it gave me more appreciation for what you guys do. I think it's easy sometimes, at home, or if you're not a meteorologist, to think you're just reading off of a model. But no, you really have to do all these tests in your own head and kind of make decisions.
Strackbein: And you have to, if you're out in the field and you're chasing, you have to kind of know exactly where you are. You have to know or pay attention to where this storm is going to. If the environment where the storm is going to, is going to continue to build? Can it continue? Can it continue to intensify? So it's a lot of working processes, and you kind of see it a little bit more in the movie.
I promise, though, when I'm out in The Beast, it is nothing like what they are doing in the movie. It's not that intense.
Kluver: I'm picturing The Beast in some of these movie scenes!
Strackbein: It would not be on the ground anymore!
Kluver: Let's talk about some of that intensifying. There is parts in the movie when they talk about tornadoes growing from an EF-1 to an EF-5 in like 30 seconds. Does that actually happen?
Strackbein: Yeah, it can actually happen. And that's what makes it pretty scary with tornadoes is, you know, there's a lot that we still don't know about them. So with tornadoes, they just form very quickly. They can also dissipate just as quickly as they form. Still, a lot of studying that has to be done within that.
But regardless, especially with supercell storms, which is kind of what you are seeing in the movie, is where you see those really large, long tracked, really intense storms. And you'll hear us talk about the environment if we have supercells, that's kind of where we get more concerned versus, you know, with the derecho, we did have a lot of tornadic activity in that, but those usually are more short lived, because you have a lot more dynamics at play. You have a line of storms, a lot of things messing with each other as well.
Kluver: So is it true that we can tame a tornado?
Strackbein: Yes, the premise of the movie is they're trying to tame a tornado. And I see where they're going with it. But in reality, it would take a lot more of what they're trying to use to tame a tornado. They're using basically a lot of chemicals. You would need a whole lot more to to tame a tornado, if that was actually possible.
Again, it's an impossible amount to actually try to fathom how much it would actually need. And then you also have to think about the environment after the fact. You're pumping in a lot of chemicals, and that could cause a lot of problems.
So it's, you know, it's just a ridiculous, but cool thought to the movie. And yeah, we'll try not to spoil it anymore.
Kluver: Well, my last question for you is -- and this also is seen in the trailer, it's not a spoiler -- but there is a part when they're running to an overpass to hide. We've always heard that overpasses are terrible to go to. Should you go to them?
Strackbein: No, never. I understand the thought that it might be the only shelter-ish type thing that's in the area. And in the trailer you see it. I was mad when I saw it, but I will say the movie did it justice immediately, of being like, hey, don't do that. It's really dangerous.
I will say, in the scenario they were in, I might actually do that. So again, this is the opening scene, so when you see it.
It creates a wind tunnel. You have debris flying at you. It's really not the best idea.
Kluver: I know I just said that's my last question, but if people watch this movie and they get super into tornadoes or storms or things like that, what resources are out there? I mean, where would you suggest people go to learn more?
Strackbein: The National Weather Service here! I think if you're really interested in storms, they have a great storm spotter program that happens every late winter to spring, just before we get into severe weather season. They offer classes all around the region. Highly recommend kind of starting there if you want to dip your toes in a little bit and learn a little more about science.
Tune into The Current from 4 to 5 p.m. on weekdays to catch live interviews impacting you, your family and your hometown as well as all of the biggest headlines of the day.