Development of improved tornado tracking device

This paper presents a prototype of a system for providing improved tornado warnings. The system is capable of being embedded into an automobile to track the position of the vehicle and warn when the vehicle is in the direct path of a tornado, even providing an estimated time of impact. It can also be used in large offices and warehouses that suffer a loss in productivity due to imprecise tornado warnings. The prototype provides exact location of the vehicle or facility using Global Positioning System (GPS) and retrieves the data transmitted by the National Weather Service. In the case of moving vehicles, special algorithms are used to determine the speed and direction of the vehicle. This is then compared to the speed and direction of the possible tornado.