Tornado Week Roars Onto The Weather Channel With Live Coverage and the 100th Episode of Storm Stories

Tornado Week Roars Onto The Weather Channel With Live Coverage and the 100th Episode of Storm Stories

Network To Feature Dramatic Stories Of Survival And Reports From Tornado Alley

ATLANTA, March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- As communities across the country prepare for severe weather season, The Weather Channel brings back its popular "Tornado Week" programming, this year featuring live coverage from Tornado Alley and the 100th episode of its signature "Storm Stories" series.

Beginning Sunday, March 12 and continuing through Saturday, March 18, "Tornado Week" begins with two new episodes of "Storm Stories," with the 100th episode of the series, "The F-5 Tornado," airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Following at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT is the premiere of "The Tornado Show" episode of its new series "Full Force Nature," an adrenaline rush of a show featuring some of the most dramatic twister video available.

Throughout the week, the all-weather network will look at tornadoes historic and recent in episodes of "Storm Stories" that recall dramatic rescue stories in the wake of these terrifying twisters, along with useful safety tips included at the end of each episode.

For the first time, The Weather Channel will add live reporting to its "Tornado Week" programming with daily field reports under the banner of "Live From Tornado Alley." From March 12-16, journalist Jorma Duran will provide live reports from locations in Oklahoma, visiting the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory, along with other locations, to provide insight into the science of tornado prediction and to hear first hand the incredible encounters scientists, storm chasers, and regular citizens have had with tornadoes.

Following "Tornado Week," Duran will take "Live From Tornado Alley" to other states that face the threat of twisters every year, exploring the historic storms and the effects they've had on the communities they've struck.

In addition to "Storm Stories" and "Live From Tornado Alley," The Weather Channel will provide a wealth of additional programming to help educate and engage viewers throughout "Tornado Week," with safety and preparedness information throughout the day along with expert commentary on severe weather.

The network looks to severe storm expert Dr. Greg Forbes for his "Terrible 25," a video recap of the worst tornadoes in the last 25 years, plus his list of the ten worst tornadoes of all time. Other experts, such as climatologist Dr. Heidi Cullen and hurricane expert Dr. Steve Lyons examine topics as far- ranging as global warming's effect on tornadic activity and the tornado outbreaks that can occur during a landfalling hurricane.

Other features during "Tornado Week" include a Twister Tally with details on the day's severe weather, animations covering safety information for severe weather season, and Ask The Expert, which addresses common questions related to tornadoes.

Throughout the week, The Weather Channel will present special tornado- themed episodes of "Storm Stories," including its 100th episode on Sunday night.

Sunday, March 12 - 8:00 p.m. - "F-5 Tornadoes" PREMIERE - In this the 100th episode of "Storm Stories, the network revisits four of the most powerful tornadoes to ever strike the United States, all F-5s, the most powerful of all twisters.

8:30 p.m. - "November Indiana Tornado" PREMIERE - November 6th, 2005. A late season tornado rips through the Evansville, Indiana area - just over the Kentucky border.

Monday, March 13 - 8:00 p.m. - "Oklahoma City Tornadoes" PREMIERE - A killer F-5 tornado bears down on a major U.S. city and people scramble for cover. The only thing between one family and the tornado is a closet door.

8:30 p.m. - "Ivan Tornado" - September 14, 2005. As Hurricane Ivan makes its way up the Gulf of Mexico the immediate threat to Panama City, Florida is tornadoes.

Tuesday, March 14 - 8:00 p.m. - "Iowa November Tornadoes" PREMIERE - On November 12, 2005, the lives of these Iowans are changed forever by a pair of late season tornadoes.

8:30 p.m. - "1974 Tornado Outbreak" - Tornado alarms sound and warn Xenia, Ohio residents of upcoming danger. One-hundred forty-eight tornadoes rip through the tiny town and bring experts as close to F-6 damage as they may ever get.

Wednesday, March 15 - 8:00 p.m. - "Paris Tornado Outbreak" PREMIERE - November 2005. The central United States is enjoying a taste of Indian summer. But the unseasonably warm temperatures also bring volatile weather to Tennessee.

8:30 p.m. - "Chandler, MN F-5" PREMIERE - Along the Minnesota - South Dakota border, the DeJong family travels highway 30 toward the ultimate force of nature - an F-5 twister.

Thursday, March 16 - 8:00 p.m. - "Wisconsin Tornado" - August 18, 2005, south central Wisconsin. At 6:15 p.m. an F-3 tornado touches down. With winds up to 200 miles an hour, the slow-moving funnel creeps east - from just south of Madison toward the rural community north of Stoughton.

8:30 p.m. - "Plainfield Tornado" - On August 5, 1990 an F-5 tornado ripped through the town of Plainfield, Illinois. It was the deadliest and costliest tornado in the U.S. that year.

Friday, March 17 - 8:00 p.m. - "Hallam, NE Tornado" - After an F4 tornado strikes Hallam, Nebraska, a total of 55 dogs, nine cats, and an iguana all make it back to their owners through the extraordinary efforts made by Lincoln Animal Control and the Humane Society.

8:30 p.m. - "Blown From Her Arms" - A 10-month-old and her mother are snatched up into the funnel as a tornado tears across Oklahoma in 1999.

Saturday, March 18 - 8:00 p.m. - "Roanoke Tornado" - Four accounts of an F-4 tornado that ripped through the town of Roanoke, Illinois.

8:30 p.m. - "Kissimmee, FL Tornado" - In Kissimmee, Florida an F-3 tornado tears a house apart and a child is missing in the debris.

BACKGROUND
About The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel, a 24-hour weather network, is seen in more than 89 million U.S. households. Its Web site, weather.com, reaches more than 25 million unique users per month. It content is generally ranked within the 10 most popular in the U.S. by Nielsen//Net Ratings. The Weather Channel also operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour, all-local weather network available in 22 million households, The Weather Channel Radio Network, The Weather Channel Newspaper Services, and is the leading weather information provider for emerging technologies. This includes broadband and interactive television applications, with wireless weather products accessible through high-speed Internet services, phones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The Weather Channel is owned by Landmark Communications, Inc., a Norfolk, VA- based, privately held media company.

Source: The Weather Channel

CONTACT: Matt Boyter of The Weather Channel, +1-770-226-2191, or
mboyter@weather.com

Web site: http://www.weather.com/

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