AllMovie

This series from the History Channel explores some of the most dangerous and deadly natural disasters of all time, including this episode on tornadoes, one of the most powerful forces of Mother Nature. The history of tornadoes is analyzed, from the days when Benjamin Franklin performed his weather experiments, to the first documented recordings of the wrath of tornadoes. In 1953, storms that plagued the country forced the creation of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, which tracks and studies tornadoes. Since 1953, technology has advanced tornado detection so that tornadoes can be predicted with more precision than ever. There also is footage shown from some deadly tornadoes from 1936 and 1997 and survivors tell stories of their near-death experiences.