The list of "historic" tornadoes is long . This summer marks the 25th anniversary of a 1981 tornado that struck the Twin Cities metro area. The F3 tornado touched down with no advance alert, with winds as high as 160 mph. The Har Mar Tornado , named for just one of the areas it hit, carved a path of destruction—14 miles in only 22 minutes.

Back then, meteorologists were just beginning to install and use the new Doppler radar  technology. We sort of take Doppler for granted now—it has more utility than just being part of weather reports on TV .

Like many others, I foolishly stand outside with the threat of tornadoes and watch the skies turn green and the trees whip in the wind when I should really be in my basement with a radio and a flashlight. To find out more about how to prepare for a tornado, check out websites like the Red Cross , with information on what to do at the outset of severe weather threats.

Remember the training we received in elementary school, sitting on the cold, dirty floor with our heads down, covered by our hands?

The lesson? Pay attention and follow the plan !